Streaming authentication and multi-level security for communications networks using quantum cryptography

US11743049B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Triad National Security, LLC · US

Inventors

• Richard John Hughes · Los Alamos, US
• Jane Elizabeth Nordholt · Los Alamos, US
• Charles Glen Peterson · Los Alamos, US
• Kush T. Tyagi · Los Alamos, US
• Christopher C. Wipf · Los Alamos, US
• Raymond Thorson Newell · Santa Fe, US
• Kevin McCabe · Santa Fe, US
• Nicholas Dallmann · Los Alamos, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 24, 2020
• Grant date: Aug 29, 2023
• Expiry date: Feb 24, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y04S40/20
• WIPO field: Digital communication
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Message authenticators for quantum-secured communications facilitate low-latency authentication with assurances of security. Low-latency message authenticators are especially valuable in infrastructure systems where security and latency constraints are difficult to satisfy with conventional non-quantum cryptography. For example, a message transmitter receives a message and derives an authentication tag for the message based at least in part on an authenticator that uses one or more quantum keys. The message transmitter outputs the message and its authentication tag. A message receiver receives a message and authentication tag for the message. The message receiver derives a comparison tag for the message based at least in part on an authenticator that uses one or more quantum keys. The message receiver checks whether the message is authentic based on a comparison of the authentication tag and the comparison tag. In example implementations, the authenticator uses stream-wise cyclic redundancy code operations.