Increasing Security by using quantum keys and physical unclonable functions

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) represents a groundbreaking advancement in the field of cryptography, leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics to establish secure communication channels. Unlike classical cryptographic methods, QKD promises theoretically unbreakable security by ensuring that any...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Andrade, Sebastian
Tipo de recurso: tesis de maestría
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/423350
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/423350
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Cryptography
Computer security
Quantum computing
Quantum Key Distribution
Quantum Random Number Generators
Post-Quantum Cryptography
Physical Unclonable Functions
Criptografia
Seguretat informàtica
Computació quàntica
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Informàtica::Seguretat informàtica::Criptografia
Descripción
Sumario:Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) represents a groundbreaking advancement in the field of cryptography, leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics to establish secure communication channels. Unlike classical cryptographic methods, QKD promises theoretically unbreakable security by ensuring that any attempt at eavesdropping can be detected. This thesis explores the practical implementation, challenges, and comparative security of various QKD scenarios within modern network infrastructures. We specifically analyze the security implications of integrating QKD with Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and compare it against Quantum Random Number Generators (QRNG), Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), and Physical Unclonable Functions under different conditions, with the aim of providing a comprehensive evaluation of the strengths and vulnerabilities of each approach, guiding future developments in secure communication systems. After the analysis performed in this Master Thesis, we can safely conclude that the Quantum Key Distribution scenario is the ideal use case, having the highest overall security score. Meanwhile, the scenarios of QRNG and PQC are the closest to the ideal security when compared to QKD. Finally, while the PUF scenario has the lowest overall security score, it still presents better authentication features that can prove beneficial if combined with other scenarios.