Embedded security framework for integrated classical and quantum cryptography services in optical burst switching networks

Optical burst switching (OBS) is the most promising optical switching technology for the future Internet, but it suffers from security vulnerabilities. In this paper, we propose to embed a security framework which incorporates the strengths of classical and the emerging quantum cryptography techniques in the native OBS network architecture, providing a means to make the future Internet secure from the ground up. The proposed embedded security architecture allows the best suited classical and quantum cryptography techniques to be deployed, making it possible to offer robust security. The security of quantum cryptography is based on the inherent randomness in quantum phenomena. The application of quantum techniques to optical networks is ideally suited to the problem because photons, which carry information in optical modality, are quantum objects. Since the well-known BB84 quantum cryptography protocol is susceptible to siphoning attacks on the multiple photons emitted by practical sources, we propose to use a new 3-stage quantum cryptography protocol which is immune to siphoning attacks, as it is based on random rotations of the polarization vector. This would allow multiple photons to be used in the quantum key exchange, and make it feasible to extend quantum cryptography services beyond trusted routers. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.