Routing and Wavelength Assignment with Minimal Attack Radius for QKD Networks

2025-08-14

AI Summary

Quantum key distribution (QKD) networks are vulnerable to physical-layer single-point attacks—such as high-power jamming—that disrupt quantum key generation. Method: This paper proposes a joint routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) optimization framework aimed at minimizing the “attack radius”—defined as the maximum number of affected key requests (maxNAR) under a single-point attack. We introduce an adaptive network architecture supporting optical bypass and trusted relays, formulate the problem as an integer linear program (ILP), and design a parameter-tunable heuristic algorithm for dynamic resource allocation. Contribution/Results: Experimental evaluation across diverse network topologies demonstrates that our approach significantly reduces the attack impact scope, enhances network resilience against physical-layer interference, improves overall security, and increases quantum channel resource utilization compared to conventional RWA schemes.

Technology Category

• Search and Optimization: Distributed Search
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Scheduling under Uncertainty
• Constraint Satisfaction and Optimization: Distributed CSP/Optimization

Application Category

• Security and Privacy: Large-scale security measurements
• Responsible Web: Human-perceived consequences of algorithmic deployment on the web
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Virtualization and resource management in Web systems and infrastructures

Abstract

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) can distribute keys with guaranteed security but remains susceptible to key exchange interruption due to physical-layer threats, such as high-power jamming attacks. To address this challenge, we first introduce a novel metric, namely Maximum Number of Affected Requests (maxNAR), to quantify the worst-case impact of a single physical-layer attack, and then we investigate a new problem of Routing and Wavelength Assignment with Minimal Attack Radius (RWA-MAR). We formulate the problem using an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) model and propose a scalable heuristic to efficiently minimize maxNAR. Our approach incorporates key caching through Quantum Key Pools (QKPs) to enhance resilience and optimize resource utilization. Moreover, we model the impact of different QKD network architectures, employing Optical Bypass (OB) for optical switching of quantum channels and Trusted Relay (TR) for secure key forwarding. Moreover, a tunable parameter is designed in the heuristic to guide the preference for OB or TR, offering enhanced adaptability and dynamic control in diverse network scenarios. Simulation results confirm that our method significantly outperforms the baseline in terms of security and scalability.

Problem

• Minimize worst-case attack impact on QKD networks
• Optimize routing and wavelength assignment for security
• Enhance resilience with Quantum Key Pools and architectures

Innovation

• Integer Linear Programming model for RWA-MAR
• Quantum Key Pools enhance resilience
• Tunable parameter for OB or TR