Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks

Quantum-Safe Physical Layer Security in Optical Networks

Konrad Banaszek, Mateusz Kucharczyk, Karol Łukanowski, Marcin Jarzyna

Published Jul 6, 2025• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

Selected approaches to securing the physical layer of optical communication systems are discussed, taking into account different intervention scenarios into the physical channel as well as adversary’s capability to replace conventional detection of the intercepted signal by more general measurement strategies permitted by the laws of quantum physics. Examples include wiretap coding, quantum key distribution, and optical key distribution. It is found that legitimate parties can ensure protocol security over a broad range of system parameters even with restricted technical resources compared to those available to an adversary.

DOI
10.1109/icton67126.2025.11125457

Related papers

A Quantum Technique for Monitoring Physical Layer Security of Optical Communication

Yupeng Gong

Optical fibre networks are advancing rapidly to meet growing traffic demands. Security issues, including attack management, have become increasingly important for optical communication networks owing to the vulnerabilities associated with tapping light from optical fibre link. Physical layer security often requires restricting access to the channel and periodic inspection of the link performance. In this thesis, we report how quantum communication techniques can be utilized to detect a physical layer attack. We present an efficient method for monitoring the physical layer security of a high data rate classical optical communication network using a modulated continuous variable quantum signal. We describe the theoretical and experimental underpinnings of this monitoring system, and the monitoring accuracy for different monitored parameters. We analyze its performance in both unamplified and amplified optical links. The technique represents a novel approach in applying quantum signal processing to practical optical communication networks and compares well with classical monitoring methods. We also discuss the challenges in its practical application, its difference with existing quantum key distribution, and its usage in future secure optical transport network planning.

•Feb 28, 2020•0 citations

Secure optical communication using a quantum alarm

Yupeng Gong, Rupesh Kumar, A. Wonfor +3 more

Optical fibre networks are advancing rapidly to meet growing traffic demands. Security issues, including attack management, have become increasingly important for optical communication networks because of the vulnerabilities associated with tapping light from optical fibre links. Physical layer security often requires restricting access to channels and periodic inspections of link performance. In this paper, we report how quantum communication techniques can be utilized to detect a physical layer attack. We present an efficient method for monitoring the physical layer security of a high-data-rate classical optical communication network using a modulated continuous-variable quantum signal. We describe the theoretical and experimental underpinnings of this monitoring system and the monitoring accuracy for different monitored parameters. We analyse its performance for both unamplified and amplified optical links. The technique represents a novel approach for applying quantum signal processing to practical optical communication networks and compares well with classical monitoring methods. We conclude by discussing the challenges facing its practical application, its differences with respect to existing quantum key distribution methods, and its usage in future secure optical transport network planning.

Light Science & Applications•Oct 2, 2020•20 citations

Towards Information-Theoretic Security in Optical Networks

Vahid Forutan, Robert Elschner, Carsten Schmidt‐Langhorst +2 more

In fiber-optic communication networks, research on data security at lower layers of the protocol stack and in particular at the physical layer by means of information-theoretic concepts is only in the beginning. Nevertheless, it has recently attracted quite some attention as it holds the promise of providing unconditional, perfect security without the need for secret key exchanges. In this paper, we analyze some important constraints that such concepts put on a potential implementation of physical-layer security. We review the fundamentals of physical-layer security on the basis of the commonly used AWGN wiretap channel model. For such channel model we summarize the security metrics which are typically used in information theory and in particular recall that, for secure communication over the AWGN channel, the legitimate receiver needs an SNR advantage over the eavesdropper. Next, we relate the information theoretic metrics to physically measurable quantities in optical communications engineering, namely optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) and bit-error ratio (BER), and translate the information-theoretic wiretap scenario to a simple real-world point-to-point optical transmission link in which part of the light is wiretapped using a bend coupler. We investigate the achievable OSNR advantage under realistic assumptions for fiber loss, tap ratio, and noise budget and find that secure transmission is limited to a distance of a few tens of kilometers in this case. The maximum secure transmission distance decreases with an increasing tap ratio chosen by the eavesdropper. This can be only counteracted by monitoring the link loss towards the legitimate receiver which would force the eavesdropper to choose small tap ratios in order to remain undetected. In an outlook towards further research directions we identify information-theoretic approaches which could potentially allow to realize physical-layer security in more generalized scenarios or over longer distances.

•May 11, 2017•1 citation

Total Optical Layer Information Security

Giuseppe Giulio Rutigliano, S. Betti, Pierluigi Perrone +1 more

In this work we show how some limits of quantum optical security that confine its use to the exchange of keys can be overcome by using other physical information protection techniques that, not pushing the limits of quantum physics, allow to better exploit the transmission capacity of the optical channel. These new techniques can therefore be used for symmetric cryptography carried out at the physical layer and alongside the QKD to achieve complete information protection at the optical layer.

AEIT International Annual Conference•Oct 4, 2021•0 citations

Adaptive Covert Communication Framework for 6G Networks Integrating Quantum Cryptography and AI-Augmented Physical Layer Security

Alyaa Ali Hameed Kjwan

The novel 6G-communication systems offer unparalleled opportunities in terms of reliability, speed and intelligence of the communication path. However, the characteristics of 6G network include dynamic nature and various type of nodes which make scenario more complex and open to various types of security threats such as advanced attacker and quantum attacker. As a result, this paper introduces an Adaptive Covert Communication Framework that combines quantum cryptography, and artificial intelligent-based physical layer security, and covert communication methods for secure and undetectable signal transmission. It uses the BB84 protocol for quantum key distribution and realizes the secure key rate up to 784 kbps over 10 km of quantum channel with 2 percent photon loss per kilometer. The AI models are used in real-time threat monitoring coupled with real-time reconfiguring in case of an adversarial situation, hence ensuring the detection probability of 5% during adversarial movements. Additional measures are added into the communication paradigm to ensure that the probability of interception is significantly reduced while offering a very high data rate of 1.2Gbps through frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) and signal obfuscation. The system also ensures energy efficiency with energy consumption of only 0.1 J/bit and thus has the possibility of being applied in different 6G applications. The analysis of different types of attacks demonstrates that the framework remains stable under different types of attacks such as jamming attack and quantum eavesdropping attack. The results show that the proposed framework can fit the current and future 6G security requirements to deliver efficient end-to-end protection in next-generation networks.

International Journal of Computational and Electronic Aspects in Engineering•Dec 30, 2024•2 citations

Quantum Cryptography For Secure Optical Networks

Stamatios V. Kartalopoulos

Dense wavelength division multiplexing optical networks transport a huge aggregate traffic exceeding Tbps per single fiber, and passive optical network technology has been extended to include the residential and enterprise network layer with fiber-to-the premises. Because this network allows for multimedia and extremely high data rates to end-users, optical communications security is important not only on the client and the node management layers, but also on the physical layer. Thus, cyber-security becomes also important in optical networks, including unbreakable cipher keys, cipher key distribution, identification of malicious actors, source authentication, physical link signature, and countermeasure strategies. In this paper we overview the security of the WDM optical network. We discuss advanced cryptographic methods that stem from quantum mechanics, known as quantum cryptography, and we identify specific vulnerabilities. We also look into the security of the next-generation optical network.

International Conference on Communications•Jun 1, 2007•13 citations
Selected approaches to securing the physical layer of optical communication systems are discussed, taking into account different intervention scenarios into the physical channel as well as adversary’s capability to replace conventional detection of the intercepted signal by more general measurement strategies permitted by the laws of quantum physics. Examples include wiretap coding, quantum key distribution, and optical key distribution. It is found that legitimate parties can ensure protocol security over a broad range of system parameters even with restricted technical resources compared to those available to an adversary.
Optical fibre networks are advancing rapidly to meet growing traffic demands. Security issues, including attack management, have become increasingly important for optical communication networks owing to the vulnerabilities associated with tapping light from optical fibre link. Physical layer security often requires restricting access to the channel and periodic inspection of the link performance. In this thesis, we report how quantum communication techniques can be utilized to detect a physical layer attack. We present an efficient method for monitoring the physical layer security of a high data rate classical optical communication network using a modulated continuous variable quantum signal. We describe the theoretical and experimental underpinnings of this monitoring system, and the monitoring accuracy for different monitored parameters. We analyze its performance in both unamplified and amplified optical links. The technique represents a novel approach in applying quantum signal processing to practical optical communication networks and compares well with classical monitoring methods. We also discuss the challenges in its practical application, its difference with existing quantum key distribution, and its usage in future secure optical transport network planning.
Optical fibre networks are advancing rapidly to meet growing traffic demands. Security issues, including attack management, have become increasingly important for optical communication networks because of the vulnerabilities associated with tapping light from optical fibre links. Physical layer security often requires restricting access to channels and periodic inspections of link performance. In this paper, we report how quantum communication techniques can be utilized to detect a physical layer attack. We present an efficient method for monitoring the physical layer security of a high-data-rate classical optical communication network using a modulated continuous-variable quantum signal. We describe the theoretical and experimental underpinnings of this monitoring system and the monitoring accuracy for different monitored parameters. We analyse its performance for both unamplified and amplified optical links. The technique represents a novel approach for applying quantum signal processing to practical optical communication networks and compares well with classical monitoring methods. We conclude by discussing the challenges facing its practical application, its differences with respect to existing quantum key distribution methods, and its usage in future secure optical transport network planning.
In fiber-optic communication networks, research on data security at lower layers of the protocol stack and in particular at the physical layer by means of information-theoretic concepts is only in the beginning. Nevertheless, it has recently attracted quite some attention as it holds the promise of providing unconditional, perfect security without the need for secret key exchanges. In this paper, we analyze some important constraints that such concepts put on a potential implementation of physical-layer security. We review the fundamentals of physical-layer security on the basis of the commonly used AWGN wiretap channel model. For such channel model we summarize the security metrics which are typically used in information theory and in particular recall that, for secure communication over the AWGN channel, the legitimate receiver needs an SNR advantage over the eavesdropper. Next, we relate the information theoretic metrics to physically measurable quantities in optical communications engineering, namely optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) and bit-error ratio (BER), and translate the information-theoretic wiretap scenario to a simple real-world point-to-point optical transmission link in which part of the light is wiretapped using a bend coupler. We investigate the achievable OSNR advantage under realistic assumptions for fiber loss, tap ratio, and noise budget and find that secure transmission is limited to a distance of a few tens of kilometers in this case. The maximum secure transmission distance decreases with an increasing tap ratio chosen by the eavesdropper. This can be only counteracted by monitoring the link loss towards the legitimate receiver which would force the eavesdropper to choose small tap ratios in order to remain undetected. In an outlook towards further research directions we identify information-theoretic approaches which could potentially allow to realize physical-layer security in more generalized scenarios or over longer distances.
The novel 6G-communication systems offer unparalleled opportunities in terms of reliability, speed and intelligence of the communication path. However, the characteristics of 6G network include dynamic nature and various type of nodes which make scenario more complex and open to various types of security threats such as advanced attacker and quantum attacker. As a result, this paper introduces an Adaptive Covert Communication Framework that combines quantum cryptography, and artificial intelligent-based physical layer security, and covert communication methods for secure and undetectable signal transmission. It uses the BB84 protocol for quantum key distribution and realizes the secure key rate up to 784 kbps over 10 km of quantum channel with 2 percent photon loss per kilometer. The AI models are used in real-time threat monitoring coupled with real-time reconfiguring in case of an adversarial situation, hence ensuring the detection probability of 5% during adversarial movements. Additional measures are added into the communication paradigm to ensure that the probability of interception is significantly reduced while offering a very high data rate of 1.2Gbps through frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) and signal obfuscation. The system also ensures energy efficiency with energy consumption of only 0.1 J/bit and thus has the possibility of being applied in different 6G applications. The analysis of different types of attacks demonstrates that the framework remains stable under different types of attacks such as jamming attack and quantum eavesdropping attack. The results show that the proposed framework can fit the current and future 6G security requirements to deliver efficient end-to-end protection in next-generation networks.
Dense wavelength division multiplexing optical networks transport a huge aggregate traffic exceeding Tbps per single fiber, and passive optical network technology has been extended to include the residential and enterprise network layer with fiber-to-the premises. Because this network allows for multimedia and extremely high data rates to end-users, optical communications security is important not only on the client and the node management layers, but also on the physical layer. Thus, cyber-security becomes also important in optical networks, including unbreakable cipher keys, cipher key distribution, identification of malicious actors, source authentication, physical link signature, and countermeasure strategies. In this paper we overview the security of the WDM optical network. We discuss advanced cryptographic methods that stem from quantum mechanics, known as quantum cryptography, and we identify specific vulnerabilities. We also look into the security of the next-generation optical network.