Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, identifying a request to facilitate communications between first and second processing nodes, determining that the communications are to be established via quantum teleportation between, and identifying a network path comprising a first path segment to obtain a quantum channel, wherein quantum entanglement is established between the first and second processing nodes based on transportation of a first quantum entangled object via the quantum channel. A classical communication channel is facilitated between the first and second processing nodes, adapted to exchange between the nodes, quantum state information of a measurement performed upon the first quantum entangled object. Information is exchanged between the first and second processing nodes via the quantum channel according to the transported first quantum entangled object and the exchanged quantum state information. Other embodiments are disclosed.

According to an embodiment, a quantum cryptography communication system includes a quantum cryptography communication device and a key management device. The quantum cryptography communication system includes a generated information supply unit, a reception unit, a determination unit, and a global key supply unit. The generated information supply unit is configured to supply generated information generated by quantum key distribution processing, to the key management device. The reception unit is configured to receive the generated information from the quantum cryptography communication device. The determination unit is configured to determine a ratio at which the generated information is used for a global key random number for each encrypted data communication destination. The global key supply unit is configured to supply a global key generated from the global key random number to an application connected to the key management device.

Trusted nodes in a network perform secure out-of-band symmetric encryption key delivery to user devices. A first trusted node receives a request from a first user device to deliver symmetric encryption keys to the first user device and a second user device, as a pair of user devices. The first trusted node delivers a second symmetric encryption key to the second user device, via trusted nodes. The first trusted node receives confirmation of delivery of the second symmetric encryption key. Responsive to the confirmation of delivery, the first trusted node delivers the first symmetric encryption key to the first user device.

Post quantum secure network communication is provided. The process comprises sending, by a client in a first computing cluster, an outbound message to a quantum safe cryptographic (QSC) proxy server in the first computing cluster, wherein the outbound message is addressed to a target server in a second computing cluster. The QSC proxy server initiates a QSC transport layer security (TLS) connection with an ingress controller in the second computing cluster, wherein the ingress controller comprises a QSC algorithm. The QSC proxy server transfers the message to the ingress controller via the QSC TLS connection, and the ingress controller routes the message to the target server in the second computing cluster via a non-QSC connection.

A tamper detecting component for a quantum communication system is a trusted node, configurable as a first endpoint trusted node, a middle-trusted node and a second endpoint trusted node. The trusted node has a tamper detection module and a secure memory. The tamper detection module deletes critical system parameters responsive to detecting physical tampering. The trusted node, as the first endpoint trusted node, exchanges a quantum key, encrypts data and transmits encrypted data. The trusted node as the middle-trusted node exchanges a quantum key, exchanges another quantum key, decrypts and re-encrypts data and transmits encrypted data. The trusted node as the second endpoint trusted node exchanges a quantum key, and decrypts data.

A method includes a preparation step and a key agreement step. In the preparation step, a first quantum key distribution (QKD) device at a first location and a second QKD device at a second location distant from the first location together create a quantum secured key according to a QKD protocol, and a first encryption device at the first location and a second encryption device at the second location together create a symmetrically encrypted channel between the first location and the second location using the quantum secured key. In the key agreement step, a first key agreement device at the first location and a second key agreement device at the second location together create an encryption key via the symmetrically encrypted channel.

A quantum communications system includes a first quantum repeater and a second quantum repeater each positioned at a repeater node and each having a first quantum memory and a second quantum memory. A first channel switch is optically coupled to the first quantum repeater and a second channel switch is optically coupled to the second quantum repeater. Further, a first sub-channel extends between and optically couples the first channel switch and the first quantum memory of the first quantum repeater, a second sub-channel extends between and optically couples the first channel switch and the first quantum memory of the second quantum repeater, a third sub-channel extends between and optically couples the second channel switch and the second quantum memory of the first quantum repeater, and a fourth sub-channel extends between and optically couples the second channel switch and the second quantum memory of the second quantum repeater.

A quantum communications system may include a transmitter node, a receiver node, and a quantum communications channel coupling the transmitter node and receiver node. The transmitter node may include a pulse transmitter and pulse divider downstream therefrom. The receiver node may include a pulse recombiner and a pulse receiver downstream therefrom.

A quantum communications system may include a transmitter node, a receiver node, and a quantum communications channel coupling the transmitter node and receiver node. The transmitter node may include a pulse transmitter, a pulse divider downstream from the pulse transmitter, and at least one first waveplate upstream from the pulse divider and configured to alter a polarization state of pulses travelling therethrough. The receiver node may include at least one second waveplate being a conjugate of the at least one first waveplate, a pulse recombiner upstream from the at least one second waveplate, and a pulse receiver downstream from the at least one second waveplate.

A system and method are provided for proactively buffering quantum key distribution (QKD) key material. The method includes monitoring key generation rates and surpluses at QKD devices at each node of a QKD link in a QKD network, retrieving surplus key material from the QKD devices at one or both nodes of the QKD link, and buffering the surplus key material in a local storage at one or both nodes in the QKD link. The surplus key material can be used to offset overhead introduced in securely relaying keys between non-adjacent demand pairs in the QKD network. The surplus key material can also be used to offset future transient decreases in key generation rates.