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National Conference on Communications

A Practical Framework for Simulating the Integration of QKD in TLS Protocol Towards Quantum Secure Communication

Radhika Jamwal, Sarada Prasad Gochhayat, Anshuman Kalla

Published Feb 26, 2026• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

With the advent of quantum computing, classical cryptographic techniques—such as those underpinning Transport Layer Security (TLS)—are becoming increasingly vulnerable. Although post-quantum cryptographic algorithms are being developed, their long-term security remains uncertain. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) offers a fundamentally different approach to key exchange and secure communication, as it bases security on the physics of quantum information rather than computational difficulty. This paper presents a practical simulation framework that integrates QKD-derived keys into the TLS protocol using the Pre-Shared Key (PSK) mode. The system employs a layered QKD architecture, implemented using QuNetSim, to generate and manage quantum keys, which are then distributed through a centralized Key Management Server (KMS). The proposed approach demonstrates how quantum-generated keys can be seamlessly integrated into the TLS protocol to enhance resilience against quantum attacks, providing a viable pathway toward post-quantum-secure communication.

DOI
10.1109/ncc68160.2026.11478911

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With the advent of quantum computing, classical cryptographic techniques—such as those underpinning Transport Layer Security (TLS)—are becoming increasingly vulnerable. Although post-quantum cryptographic algorithms are being developed, their long-term security remains uncertain. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) offers a fundamentally different approach to key exchange and secure communication, as it bases security on the physics of quantum information rather than computational difficulty. This paper presents a practical simulation framework that integrates QKD-derived keys into the TLS protocol using the Pre-Shared Key (PSK) mode. The system employs a layered QKD architecture, implemented using QuNetSim, to generate and manage quantum keys, which are then distributed through a centralized Key Management Server (KMS). The proposed approach demonstrates how quantum-generated keys can be seamlessly integrated into the TLS protocol to enhance resilience against quantum attacks, providing a viable pathway toward post-quantum-secure communication.
Due to the increasing attainability of quantum computers, the threat to traditional cryptographic algorithms is more relevant than ever before. However, the field of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) to address this is still young and may potentially exhibit security vulnerabilities. In this paper, the role of Pre-Shared Keys (PSK) is analyzed in an attack scenario with both traditional and post-quantum algorithms potentially broken. We present a scheme for improved integration of external PSKs into a PQC-secured TLS 1.3 handshake, with a focus on no security compromises and broad deployment options. In that context, the protection of long-term secrets on dedicated security tokens and the integration of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) are elaborated. For QKD integration, our scheme enables a deployment without QKD-specific changes to TLS. In addition to the scheme itself, a reference implementation is presented and evaluated to demonstrate its technical viability. Our results indicate that the general integration of PSKs into the TLS handshake adds negligible overhead while substantially increasing the achieved security level. Although deployments using dedicated security tokens or QKD systems have a significant influence on handshake times, specific applications could benefit greatly from the added security guarantees.
The emergence of large-scale quantum computers poses a significant threat to current cryptographic protocols, particularly Transport Layer Security (TLS), which relies on RSA and elliptic curve cryptography vulnerable to Shor's algorithm. This paper presents a hybrid framework for quantum-resistant TLS handshakes that integrates post-quantum cryptography (PQC), quantum key distribution (QKD) and classical cryptography to provide comprehensive protection against both classical and quantum attacks. The approach employs three QKD protocols; BB84, E91, and Measurement-Device-Independent QKD (MDI-QKD) alongside NIST-standardized PQC algorithms as well as alternative candidates such as HQC and BIKE. A key innovation is the QKD key management module, which addresses performance bottlenecks through periodic key generation and secure reuse within predefined retention periods, significantly reducing QKD overhead in TLS handshakes. The experimental implementation using the quantum network simulator evaluated 144 distinct cryptographic protocol combinations. Results demonstrate that ML-KEM combined with ML-DSA provides optimal PQC performance, while QKD protocol selection is distance-dependent: BB84 for short-range and MDI-QKD for long-distance communication. The framework includes various attack mitigation mechanisms and ensure security as long as at least one cryptographic method remains uncompromised. Consistent with current global quantum network usage, the proposed TLS approach is designed primarily for MAN and WAN environments rather than the Internet, providing a balanced solution that combines theoretical security guarantees with computational efficiency.
Abstract With the rapid advancement of quantum computing, traditional security protocols based on classical encryption algorithms are increasingly vulnerable to potential quantum attacks. The current IPsec protocol, which relies on classical cryptographic methods, is insufficient to withstand such threats, thereby compromising the security of long-term data transmission. To address this issue, we propose integrating quantum key distribution (QKD) into the internet protocol security (IPsec) protocol, thereby enhancing its resilience against quantum computing attacks. Here, two schemes that merge QKD-generated keys with classical cryptographic keys are designed to enhance both security and stability. Furthermore, we conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the performance of various QKD protocols implemented with the scheme, along with an assessment of its overall efficacy across a topological network configuration. This approach not only ensures secure data transmission in the era of quantum computing but also highlights the potential application value of integrating QKD with IPsec, providing valuable insights for the design and implementation of future quantum-secure communication systems.
The exponential growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) and its integration into critical infrastructures has elevated the need for robust and future-proof security mechanisms. Traditional cryptographic systems, while effective today, are increasingly vulnerable to advancements in quantum computing. This paper explores the integration of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) as a novel security paradigm for next-generation IoT ecosystems. QKD leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to enable unconditionally secure key exchange, immune to computational attacks. We propose an architecture where QKD-enabled edge gateways and IoT nodes facilitate real-time secure communication through quantum-secured channels. The study analyzes the feasibility of implementing QKD in resource-constrained IoT environments and evaluates its performance in terms of key generation rate, latency, and energy consumption. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed QKD-IoT framework significantly outperforms conventional encryption protocols in resisting both classical and quantum-based attacks, making it a viable foundation for building post-quantum resilient IoT infrastructures. The research also outlines the challenges related to scalability, hardware integration, and key management, and proposes solutions through hybrid QKD-classical cryptography models. This work paves the way for a quantum-secure IoT future, ensuring trust, privacy, and integrity in hyper-connected digital ecosystems.
An integration of Quantum Key Distribution and Transport Layer Security is an important research area aimed at addressing the vulnerabilities of traditional cryptographic systems posed by the advancement of quantum computing. QKD leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to provide absolute security, while TLS is a widely used protocol that ensures the confidentiality and integrity of internet communications, offering end-to-end security. The combination of these two technologies is considered a method to enhance TLS by incorporating QKD-generated keys, thereby mitigating potential security risks arising from quantum computing. This paper proposes the QKD-TLS integration models that can support end-to-end secure communication.
The accelerating development of quantum computing capabilities poses an unprecedented challenge to conventional encryption methodologies that currently underpin global digital security infrastructure. Classical cryptographic systems, including widely adopted standards such as RSA and AES, derive their security from the computational intractability of specific mathematical problems, a foundation that quantum algorithms threaten to fundamentally undermine. This research presents a comprehensive investigation into the practical implementation of Quantum Key Distribution as a transformative approach to establishing unconditionally secure communication channels. Through experimental deployment of the BB84 protocol augmented with advanced quantum error correction and privacy amplification techniques, we systematically evaluate the performance characteristics and security guarantees of QKD in realistic network environments. Our experimental framework achieves a secure key generation rate of 2.5 megabits per second while maintaining an average quantum bit error rate of 3.2 percent, demonstrating the practical viability of quantum-secured communication. The implementation exhibits exceptional eavesdropping detection capabilities with a 98.5 percent success rate in identifying unauthorized interception attempts. Comparative security analysis reveals that QKD-based encryption reduces vulnerability to brute-force attacks by 65 percent when contrasted with classical encryption standards. The integration of lattice-based post-quantum cryptographic algorithms provides an additional security layer against store-now-decrypt-later attack strategies. These findings substantiate the position of Quantum Key Distribution as a cornerstone technology for next-generation cybersecurity frameworks, offering robust protection against both current threats and the anticipated capabilities of large-scale quantum computers.