Abstract

Securing optical communication networks against evolving cyber threats necessitates advanced cryptographic techniques. Quantum cryptography offers an unbreakable security framework, leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics. However, integrating quantum cryptography with lightweight and efficient stream ciphers remains a challenge in high-speed optical networks. Traditional encryption methods, such as AES and RSA, struggle to meet the real-time demands of optical communication due to computational overhead and vulnerability to quantum attacks. This study introduces a hybrid security framework incorporating Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) with Espresso ciphers and the Grain stream cipher to enhance security and efficiency in optical networks. The Espresso cipher, known for its ultra-lightweight design and energy efficiency, ensures minimal computational complexity, while the Grain stream cipher provides robust resistance against differential and linear cryptanalysis. The integration with QKD ensures unconditional security through quantum properties such as no-cloning and Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. Performance evaluation was conducted using a 100 Gbps optical network, demonstrating a significant reduction in encryption latency by 37% compared to conventional AES-based encryption. The proposed framework also achieved an 89.6% improvement in key generation efficiency and reduced computational overhead by 41.3%. Furthermore, resistance against brute-force and side-channel attacks was significantly enhanced, providing a secure and efficient cryptographic solution for high-speed optical networks.

Authors

M. Mohamed Musthafa¹, P. Thangavel², Anand Paul³
Al-Ameen Engineering College, India¹, Government College of Engineering, Erode, India², Louisiana State University School of Public Health, United States of America³

Keywords

Quantum Cryptography, Espresso Cipher, Grain Stream Cipher, Optical Communication Security, Quantum Key Distribution