Scientists from the Russian quantum center (RCC) managed to launch the first in Russia multi-node quantum network intended for data transfer. In the development of domestic experts used two methods of encrypting information that makes this method of data transfer is extremely secure.
The first quantum networks have begun to appear in our country three years ago, a working line of communication was launched at the ITMO University in 2014. This line linked the quantum channel of two buildings of the University. In June last year announced the launch of the first “urban” lines of communication between the two branches of the Bank, and in September 2016 the press service of the Moscow state University announced the connection of two points in the cities suburbs. In may of this year in Kazan was held the first Russian session quantum “phone” connection. The current development of staff the RCC is a quantum network consisting of three nodes and two quantum channels that are associated with each other. Quantum secure communication by itself can only be installed directly between two points, and if the network has a complex structure, the quantum network segments need to communicate with each other nodes with repeaters that use “conventional” methods of data processing. These “normal” nodes and create holes in the security system that almost negates all the benefits from using quantum lines for secure data transfer. At the request of the RCC employee Alexei Fedorov,
“Methods of quantum data protection is well established in the laboratory, but when you transfer them to an existing telecommunications and cryptographic infrastructure many problems arise in particular when using a real city. We managed to successfully solve one of them use the same network two different methods of encoding information.”
To improve protection at a branched line of communication experts used encrypt information using quantum keys on the “normal” sections of the communication lines. On the basis of fiber-optic networks was created 2 channels: 30 in length and 15 kilometers respectively. On the first of the sites data were coded using the polarization of photons, the second in their phase. In the experiment, the rate of generation of quantum keys in first phase was 0.1 KB per second, and the rate of generation of secret key suitable for encryption – 0.02 kilobits per second.
“That speed of key generation is sufficient to update the key in the existing encryption devices. In future experiments, the generation speed can be increased. The use of two coding methods within a single network allows for the processing and encryption of existing software solutions and platforms. This saves banks and other users of quantum networks from the need to develop new products, but simply makes it possible to incorporate quantum channels into the existing telecommunications infrastructure.”
Based on materials of RIA “news”
Launched the first in Russia multi-node quantum network
Vladimir Kuznetsov