At Namex Annual Meeting 2022, Christoph Glingener discussed the threat that quantum computers pose to network security and talked about addressing this significant cybersecurity risk with quantum key distribution and post-quantum cryptography.

1. The quantum age – secure transport networks
June, 22nd 2022 – NAMEX Workshop
Christoph Glingener

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Recommend to prepare
for quantum era
Why care about future quantum computers?
The quantum computer threat

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Public key cryptography is vulnerable
Quantum computers break present crypto systems
AES-GCM-256 AES-GCM-256
Secret
Diffie-
Hellman
Diffie-
Hellman
Session
key
Key exchange
Secret
Plaintext Ciphertext Plaintext
Alice Bob
Session
key

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• Provides computational security
• Is based on hardness of math problems
• Works on any communication channel
• Requires endpoint protocol access only
• Is independent of optical layer
• Provides information-theoretic security
• Is based on laws of quantum physics
• Needs optical fiber or free-space channel
• Requires access to physical infrastructure
• Depends on optical link performance
Quantum-key distribution (QKD)
Post-quantum cryptography (PQC)
Standardization activities are taking place for both options
How can we make the key exchange quantum-safe?

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Code- and lattice-based asymmetrical encryption algorithms
Option 1 (must-have): post-quatum cryptography
Alice
Bob
Session
key
Session
key
Quantum-safe key
exchange protocol
Quantum-safe key
exchange protocol
Key exchange
NIST, July 2020: Candidates for standardization of quantum-safe protocols are Classic
McEliece, CRYSTALS-Kyber, NTRU, SABER
BSI, August 2020: Recommends hybrid algorithms, Classic McEliece among others

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Quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol distills a secure key out of a quantum signal
Option 2 (nice-to-have): quantum key distribution
Alice
Bob recognizes the
observation
Session
key
Session
key
Quantum channel
+Service channel

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Hybrid key exchange
Plaintext Plaintext
Alice Bob
AES encryption AES encryption
Secret
Diffie-
Hellman
Diffie-
Hellman
Session
key
Key exchange
Secret
Ciphertext
Session
key
PQC PQC
Key exchange
QKD QKD
Key exchange
Combining key exchange schemes to provide robust quantum-safe solutions

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Practical implementation
Network
element A
QKD Tx
Network
element B
QKD Rx
Key delivery API
QKD Rx QKD Tx
Trusted node 1..N (oder Repeater)
KMS KMS KMS
Auxiliary channel
Quantum channel
Management
channel
AES-encrypted
data channel(s)
In-line amplifier
1..N (optional)
Additional
fiber*
Grey or DWDM link
Fiber pair
*Co-propagation option
with data channels
Trusted site A Trusted site B
AES: Advanced encryption standard
KMS: Key management system
PQC PQC
QKD Repeater

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Practical implementation 2
DWDM System
Optical layer
10G/100G/200G/400G…
Quantum Channel
Service Channel
QKD Alice
Ethernet device
QKD Bob
Ethernet layer
ETSI GS014
REST API
ETSI GS014
REST API
1G/10G
OTNsec
MACsec
Quantum key
delivery API
Quantum key
delivery API

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Multiple candidates
• Code-based (e.g. McEliece)
• Latice-based (e.g. FrodoKEM)
• Etc.
BSI
• TR-02102-1 (hybrid with McEliece or
FrodoKEM)
NIST
• SP800-65C Rev2, hybrid with PQC
• Ongoing PQC project / challenge
Quantum Key Distribution
Post Quantum Cryptography
Standards and certifications necessary!
Quantum communication technologies
CV DV
Protocol CV-
QPSK
Decoy
BB84
BBM92
(Ent.)
Twin
Field
Key rate 1/ 1/ 1/ 1/√
Complexity
side channels
ecurity
Topology p2p p2p p2mp p2mp
Fiber
Free space
Costs

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Safety based on known
cryptographic principles
No Distance limitation
No Need for another fiber
Computational complexity
Standardization in progress
Safety based on quantum-physics
Impossible to eavesdrop
Distance limitation
Need for additional fiber
Integration with existing networks
Standardization in progress
Quantum Key Distribution
Post Quantum Cryptography
Quantum communication – lessons learned

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Quantum communication initiatives
• Germany (Research)
• R: QuNET, QR.X, QUBE, …
• E: DemoQuanDT, DE-QOR, …
Public Funding QT
(22 Mrd$ globally, 3,1 Mrd$ in D)
Yole, 2021
QEYSSAT mission
DOE: Quantum
internet blueprint
EuroQCI
Quantum
Comunications Hub
Space+terrestrial Q
KD net, MICIUS

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Operators are taking action …

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Protecting networks against tomorrow‘s threats, today
… so do we!

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There’s more … joint communication and sensing
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Protect communication infrastructure against failures, attacks and natural disasters
Photo: Sebastian Schmitt/dpa
Photo: dpa
Optical JC&S*:
Phase-sensitive OTDR for
infrastructure monitoring
*Joint communicaton & sensing
Photo: Sebastian Schmitt/dpa

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• Quantum-resistant approaches needed for long-term security of data
• Technologies: PQC (must-have) and QKD (nice-to-have)
• Crypto-agility for future updates to reflect advances in technology
• Highly funded (public incl. pre-commercial public procurement)
• First commercial products and installations
Challenges:
• Security proofs, atandards & certifications
• QKD robustness, performance, stability … need to improve!
• QKD costs – Quantum-PICs, RNGs
• QKD – Trusted Nodes vs Repeater?
The quantum age – secure transport networks
ADVA IC-TROSA

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