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

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.

Inventors:

Hughes, Richard J.; Nordholt, Jane E.; Peterson, Charles G.; Tyagi, Kush T.; Wipf, Christopher C.; Newell, Raymond T.; McCabe, Kevin P.; Dallmann, Nicholas

Issue Date:

2023-08-29

Research Org.:

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

2222249

Patent Number(s):

11743049

Application Number:

16/799,116

Assignee:

Triad National Security, LLC (Los Alamos, NM)

DOE Contract Number:  

AC52-06NA25396

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 02/24/2020

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English