The inherent broadcast characteristics of satellite communication systems make them vulnerable to interception and manipulation threats. Stringent Authentication and KeyEstablishment (AKE) mechanisms play a vital role in securing satellite communication links by verifying legitimate participants and establishing a secret session for protected communication. Nevertheless, the existing AKE mechanisms based on classical cryptographic methods are not sufficient to guarantee the security of these systems in the forthcoming post-quantum era. Recognizing these flaws, we propose a quantum-secure robust AKE mechanism that fortifies these communications systems against emerging cyber and quantum threats. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to integrate NIST-approved quantum-safe cryptography primitives, coupled with a hardware fingerprinting-based key generation mechanism.
The inherent broadcast characteristics of satellite communication systems make them vulnerable to interception and manipulation threats. Stringent Authentication and KeyEstablishment (AKE) mechanisms play a vital role in securing satellite communication links by verifying legitimate participants and establishing a secret session for protected communication. Nevertheless, the existing AKE mechanisms based on classical cryptographic methods are not sufficient to guarantee the security of these systems in the forthcoming post-quantum era. Recognizing these flaws, we propose a quantum-secure robust AKE mechanism that fortifies these communications systems against emerging cyber and quantum threats. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to integrate NIST-approved quantum-safe cryptography primitives, coupled with a hardware fingerprinting-based key generation mechanism.
Satellite communication networks play a critical role in providing connectivity to remote regions and areas with limited infrastructure. However, their inherently open nature and physical exposure make them particularly susceptible to security threats, including replay, impersonation, and man-in- the-middle attacks. The emergence of quantum computing further undermines the robustness of conventional cryptographic schemes that rely on number-theoretic assumptions. To mitigate these challenges, this article proposesHBQS, a lightweight post-quantum authentication framework designed for satellite platforms with limited resources.HBQSintegrates Physically Unclonable Functions (PUFs) with hash-based cryptography, leveraging SPHINCS+ digital signatures and SHA-3 hashing to provide secure mutual authentication and session key establishment. The protocolHBQSwas implemented and evaluated on embedded hardware platforms, including Raspberry Pi 4.0, PYNQ-Z2 FPGA, and a Dell ground control station. The experimental results demonstrate thatHBQSachieves mutual authentication in 0.88 ms, offering an approximately 67% reduction in execution time compared to representative baselines from the prior literature. Entropy analysis confirms that the proposed protocol maintains a high entropy across critical components, withHBQSachieving a signature entropy of 164.63 bits and PUF response entropy of 172.58 bits, indicating strong resistance to statistical and modeling attacks. A formal security analysis conducted within the Random Oracle Model demonstrates semantic security against both classical and quantum adversaries. The protocolHBQSshows a significant improvement over existing methods, achieving approximately 67% reduction in computational execution time, approximately 11.5% faster user-side handshake time, approximately 0.6% improvement on the satellite side and full security coverage across all evaluated security features with only a 21.4% increase in static memory usage as the trade-off. These findings positionHBQSas an efficient, secure, and scalable authentication solution for next-generation satellite communication systems operating in the post-quantum era.
In this paper, a generic post-quantum authentication protocol is constructed for quantum-resistant satellite communication. This scheme was proposed to address emerging authentication needs in post-quantum satellite communication systems consistent with evolving standards such as Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) and European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). In the proposed authentication, it is aimed to obtain additional security features and low communication complexity based on simple operations and post-quantum algorithms. The mutual authentication is achieved by using Physical Unclonable Functions (PUF), Hash Message Authentication Code (HMAC), and post-quantum cryptography (PQC) primitives. The security analysis shows that the proposed authentication provides additional security properties and resistance to replay and man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks. The main difference between the proposed protocol and PQC-based authentication for satellites in the literature is that it does not require complex operations and provides anonymity, integrity, and legitimacy with the help of lightweight principles. The proposed scheme leverages National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-approved post-quantum cryptographic primitives (e.g., CRYSTALS-Kyber, HQC, SHA3-256), while the overall authentication protocol design is novel and constitutes the main contribution of our work.
With the rapid advancement of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, ensuring the security of satellite-to-ground communication has become a critical concern. Traditional cryptographic techniques, while effective against classical attacks, face increasing threats from quantum computing. This paper proposes a quantum key secure transmission method tailored for LEO satellite-ground communication scenarios. The method integrates quantum key distribution (QKD) with dynamic channel estimation and orbital mobility prediction to support secure and low-latency key handshakes between satellites and ground stations. A hybrid encryption strategy is introduced, where QKD-generated keys are used to refresh symmetric session keys in real time, significantly enhancing resistance to eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle attacks. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method ensures stable key distribution under Doppler-shifted and intermittent link conditions, achieving improved secrecy capacity and resilience against quantum-level adversaries. This work provides a viable and scalable quantum-safe communication solution for future secure satellite networks.
The exponential growth of global telecommunication networks has heightened the need for robust security frameworks to protect data transmission against evolving cyber threats.Traditional encryption techniques, such as RSA and AES, while effective, are increasingly vulnerable to advances in computational power and the impending threat posed by quantum computing.Quantum cryptography, specifically Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), presents a revolutionary approach to securing telecommunication systems by leveraging the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics.Unlike classical encryption methods, QKD guarantees data security through the use of quantum states that are inherently resistant to interception and eavesdropping due to the no-cloning theorem and Heisenberg's uncertainty principle.From a broader perspective, this paper explores the integration of quantum cryptographic protocols into existing telecommunication infrastructures, emphasizing their potential to safeguard data transmission in fiber-optic and satellite communication networks.It examines the architecture and operational mechanisms of QKD systems, detailing protocols such as BB84 and E91, and evaluates their effectiveness in countering both classical and quantum-enabled cyber-attacks.Additionally, the study delves into the challenges of large-scale deployment, including key distribution range limitations, hardware requirements, and the need for quantum repeaters to support long-distance secure communication.Narrowing the focus, case studies on the implementation of quantum cryptography in 5G networks and global telecommunication hubs are analysed, highlighting their role in enhancing network resilience and ensuring end-to-end encryption.The paper concludes with strategic recommendations for policy development, international standardization, and future research directions to facilitate the widespread adoption of quantum cryptography in the telecommunications sector.
In the rapidly evolving field of satellite technology, ensuring secure transmission of telemetry data has become increasingly critical. Traditional encryption methods, such as AES, rely on static keys, which pose significant risks if compromised, allowing attackers to decrypt past and future communications. This paper addresses the shortcomings of traditional method by proposing a session-based encryption approach using CRYSTALS Kyber, a post-quantum cryptography technique. Our method enhances security by generating unique session keys for each satellite and ground station communication window, mitigating the impact of potential key exposure. Through the implementation of this approach, which includes the use of a quantum random number generator (QRNG) for key generation, we demonstrate secure end-to-end encryption and decryption of satellite telemetry data. This approach not only fortifies current security measures but also ensures resilience against future quantum computing threats, providing a robust solution for the secure transmission of satellite data in the quantum era.
In this paper, we introduce a novel authentication scheme for satellite nodes based on quantum entanglement and measurement noise profiles. Our approach leverages the unique noise characteristics exhibited by each satellite's quantum optical communication system to create a distinctive "quantum noise fingerprint." This fingerprint is used for node authentication within a satellite constellation, offering a quantum-safe alternative to traditional cryptographic methods. The proposed scheme consists of a training phase, where each satellite engages in a training exercise with its neighbours to compile noise profiles, and an online authentication phase, where these profiles are used for real-time authentication. Our method addresses the inherent challenges of implementing cryptographic-based schemes in space, such as key management and distribution, by exploiting the fundamental properties of quantum mechanics and the unavoidable imperfections in quantum systems. This approach enhances the security and reliability of satellite communication networks, providing a robust solution to the authentication challenges in satellite constellations. We validated and tested several hypotheses for this approach using IBM System One quantum computers.