ExpandQISE: Track 1: A Quantum Good Network Protocol (QGP) and Implementation for Security-Enhanced Network Authentication

摘要：加密是保护当今互联网安全和隐私的关键组成部分。目前牢不可破的加密可以很容易地被未来的量子计算机破解。因此，开发能够抵御当前和未来网络攻击的新型加密算法和系统势在必行。本研究旨在研究和实现一种新型的量子和后量子安全网络系统，该系统集成了强加密和量子安全安全性，为数据和通信提供更高的安全性，完整性和隐私性。这项研究旨在建立一个量子网络免受网络攻击的测试平台。该团队将研究成果应用于教育，与大学、国家实验室和私营部门公司合作，建立量子信息科学和工程劳动力的管道。该技术在保护电子邮件隐私、增强网络安全、防御关键网络基础设施、保护国家安全等方面有着广泛的应用。研究结果对下一代量子互联网的安全具有重要影响。技术摘要：本项目旨在开发一种创新的量子良好隐私（QGP）协议，通过结合光子通道和后量子加密（PQC）算法扩展相当良好隐私（PGP）。QGP通过在开放系统互连（OSI）模型的底部添加量子层（第0层）和用PQC-Dilithium增强签名转换第7层来扩展TCP/IP协议，以提高安全性、完整性和隐私性。QGP以应用的方式推进了量子互联网测试平台的理论研究。光子通道由两个端点组成，以建立一个量子层进行密码密钥交换。一种先进的安全认证算法使用PQC-Dilithium签名、高级加密标准（AES）、安全哈希算法(SHA)-3和硬件加密器直接从光子设备请求量子密钥，并为本地网络设备加密数据。量子业务通道作为软件定义网络（SDN）的控制平面，将网络控制逻辑与设备分离。本研究促进了下一代量子安全网络的发展，为科学界在安全和隐私方面做出了贡献，培养了更好的量子信息科学与工程人才，吸引了更广泛的受众，造福了社会。该项目由传统黑人学院和大学本科项目（HBCU-UP）、多学科活动办公室（MPS/OMA）和技术前沿项目（TIP/TF）共同资助。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Non-technical Abstract: Encryption is a key component for protecting the security and privacy of today’s Internet. The current unbreakable encryptions could be easily broken with future quantum computers. Therefore, it is imperative to develop new cryptographic algorithms and systems that can resist current and future cyber-attacks. This research aims to study and implement a novel quantum and post-quantum secure network system that integrates strong encryptions and quantum-safe security to provide improved security, integrity, and privacy for data and communications. The research seeks to build a testbed of quantum networks immune from cyber-attacks. The team applies research outcomes in education in collaborating with universities, national labs, and private sector companies to build pipelines of quantum information science and engineering workforce. The technology has wide applications in securing email privacy, enhancing network security, defending critical network infrastructure, and protecting national security. Findings from this research have significant impact on the security aspect of next-generation quantum Internet. Technical Abstract: This project aims to develop an innovative Quantum Good Privacy (QGP) protocol that extends Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) by incorporating a photonic channel and post-quantum cryptography (PQC) algorithms. QGP expands the TCP/IP protocol by adding a quantum layer (layer 0) at the bottom of the open systems interconnection (OSI) model and transforming layer 7 with PQC-Dilithium enhanced signatures for improved security, integrity, and privacy. QGP advances theoretical study with an applied approach in building a testbed of Quantum Internet. The photonic channel consists of two endpoints to set up a quantum layer for cryptographic key exchange. A cutting-edge secure authentication algorithm uses PQC-Dilithium signatures, advanced encryption standard (AES), secure hash algorithms (SHA)-3, and hardware encryptors to request quantum keys directly from photonic devices and to encrypt data for local network devices. A quantum service channel acts as Software Defined Networks (SDN)’s control plane to separate the network control logic from devices. This research promotes the progress of developing next-generation quantum-safe networks, contributes to the scientific community in security and privacy, builds better quantum information science and engineering talents, engages in a broader audience, and benefits society.This project is jointly funded by the Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP), the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities (MPS/OMA), and the Technology Frontiers Program (TIP/TF).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.