[Network Security Management System for Quantum Key Distribution]

By

Acknowledgement

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I, [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

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Abstract

Quantum key distribution (QKD) is regarded as a key-technology for the upcoming decades. Its practicability has been demonstrated through various experimental implementations. Wide-area QKD networks are a natural next step and should inherit the selling point of provable security. However, most research in QKD focuses on point-to-point connections, leaving end-to-end security to the trustworthiness of intermediate repeater nodes, thus defeating any formal proof of security: why bother outwitting QKD, if the repeater node is an easy prey, and an equally valuable target? We discuss methods of designing QKD networks with provable end-to-end security at provably optimized efforts. We formulate two optimization problems, along with investigations of computational difficulty: First, what is the minimal cost for a desired security? Second, how much security is achievable under given (budget-) constraints? Both problems permit applications of commercial optimization software, so allow taking a step towards an economic implementation of a globally spanning QKD network.

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

ABSTRACTIV

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Quantum Information Science1

Quantum Cryptography1

Quantum Key Distribution2

Research Aim4

Research Objective5

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW7

Proposed QKD Based IEEE 802.119

Implementation Of Reconciliation Protocol10

Simulation Model For Reconciliation14

Analysis Of Reconciliation17

Overall Analysis Of The Protocol23

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY25

Research Method25

Research Approach25

Research Design26

Data Collection Methods26

Secondary Data27

Primary Data27

Reliability/Dependability27

Validity27

CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION29

Quantum Cryptography30

Management System for QKD32

Hardware33

Software33

Implementing Quantum Cryptography34

Time Correlated Data Acquisition35

Key Distillation37

Implementation Considerations38

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION40

Chapter 1: Introduction

Quantum Information Science

Quantum information science is a new branch of computer science that has applications to problems such as prime factorization, database search, and secure transmission of information. Although quantum algorithms promise solution of certain problems much faster than the best classical counterparts, the implementation of these algorithms comes with its own difficulties. Currently, many aspects of quantum computing can only be studied at a theoretical level.

Quantum information science is based on information on the states of fundamental quantum mechanical objects, most commonly photons, since they are robust to environmental noise.

Information can be encoded in various properties of photons, like photon polarization or phase. The states of photons can be represented mathematically as qubits that are quantum mechanical analog of classical bits (Bennet, 1984, pp. 175-179). Unlike classical bits which carry only '1' or '0' as a unit of information, qubits have the capability of representing all possible and infinite values between '1'and '0'. In quantum computation, the two basic states of qubit are represented as |0? and |1? using Dirac notation. |0? and |1? form the orthonormal basis and all other states exist in superposition over these two states.

Quantum Cryptography

The problem of transmitting information in an unconditionally secure way over networks is important for information ...