A New Quantum Secure Time Transfer System

2025-11-13

AI Summary

High-precision clock synchronization faces security threats including man-in-the-middle replay, spoofing, and delay attacks. This paper proposes a quantum-safe time transfer system that—uniquely—employs self-generated quantum keys to provide end-to-end information-theoretically secure timestamp protection. It further introduces an information-theoretically secure obfuscation encryption sequence within a hybrid quantum/post-quantum architecture, ensuring strong tamper resistance and delay resilience for time information. The system integrates quantum key distribution (QKD), adaptive key optimization, and obfuscation encryption to balance security and practicality. Experimental evaluations demonstrate robust resistance against diverse canonical attacks, establishing it as the most resilient quantum-safe time transfer scheme to date. It significantly enhances the security and reliability of time synchronization in distributed networks—particularly in quantum communication, sensing, and positioning applications.

Technology Category

• Machine Learning: Quantum Machine Learning
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Optimization of Spatio-temporal Systems
• Application Domains: Security

Application Category

• Security and Privacy: Large-scale security measurements
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Sustainability and carbon-aware systems for Web, mobile, and WoT
• Responsible Web: Measurement, analysis, and circumvention of Web censorship

Abstract

High-precision clock synchronization is essential for a wide range of network-distributed applications. In the quantum space, these applications include communication, sensing, and positioning. However, current synchronization techniques are vulnerable to attacks, such as intercept-resend attacks, spoofing, and delay attacks. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a new quantum secure time transfer (QSTT) system, subsequently used for clock synchronization, that largely negates such attacks. Novel to our system is the optimal use of self-generated quantum keys within the QSTT to information-theoretically secure the maximum amount of timing data; as well as the introduction, within a hybrid quantum/post-quantum architecture, of an information-theoretic secure obfuscated encryption sequence of the remaining timing data. With these enhancements, we argue that our new system represents the most robust implementation of QSTT to date.

Problem

• Securing clock synchronization against quantum attacks
• Protecting time transfer from intercept-resend and spoofing
• Enhancing quantum key usage for timing data security

Innovation

• Quantum secure time transfer system using self-generated keys
• Hybrid quantum-post-quantum architecture with obfuscated encryption
• Information-theoretic security for maximum timing data protection