Flexible Encryption Tunnel with Limited Quantum Key Distribution over Classical Optical Networks

Flexible Encryption Tunnel with Limited Quantum Key Distribution over Classical Optical Networks

연구 분야: Cryptography

학회: 2025 International Conference on Computing, Networking and Communications (ICNC)

The increasing threat posed by quantum computing to traditional encryption methods necessitates the development of advanced cryptographic solutions. Quantum key distribution (QKD), with its ability to generate secure symmetric keys, offers a promising approach. However, QKD faces significant challenges in practical deployment, especially in multi-point interconnected networks. This work introduces a flexible encryption tunnel (FET) designed to address these challenges by dynamically adjusting cryptographic strength and key supply strategies based on network conditions and secret key rate fluctuations. The proposed mechanism ensures seamless integration of QKD within classical optical networks, optimizing key utilization through multi-path routing and adaptive encryption. We compare the performance of FET-based QKD (FET-QKD) with rigid encryption tunnel-based QKD (RET-QKD) across various network topologies, including ring, tree, and mesh. Simulation results demonstrate that FET-QKD achieves a peak QKD service success ratio of 98.4% in ring topology under high traffic loads and a key throughput of 2.43 Mbits, outperforming RET-QKD by over 3.1 times. However, performance gains are limited in complex mesh networks due to increased interference and resource contention. This study highlights the potential of FET-QKD to facilitate the widespread adoption of QKD by enhancing the synergy between quantum and classical networks.