Paper 2025/173
A Critical Analysis of Deployed Use Cases for Quantum Key Distribution and Comparison with Post-Quantum Cryptography
Abstract
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is currently being discussed as a technology to safeguard communication in a future where quantum computers compromise traditional public-key cryptosystems. In this paper, we conduct a comprehensive security evaluation of QKD-based solutions, focusing on real-world use cases sourced from academic literature and industry reports. We analyze these use cases, assess their security and identify the possible advantages of deploying QKD-based solutions. We further compare QKD-based solutions with Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), the alternative approach to achieving security when quantum computers compromise traditional public-key cryptosystems, evaluating their respective suitability for each scenario. Based on this comparative analysis, we critically discuss and comment on which use cases QKD is suited for, considering factors such as implementation complexity, scalability, and long-term security. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the role QKD could play in future cryptographic infrastructures and offer guidance to decision-makers considering the deployment of QKD.
Metadata
- Available format(s)
-
PDF
- Category
- Applications
- Publication info
- Preprint.
- Keywords
- Quantum Key DistributionQuantum communicationsQuantum cryptographyUse-casesPost-Quantum Cryptography
- Contact author(s)
-
n aquina @ tue nl
b cimoli @ tue nl
s das2 @ tue nl
kathrin @ hoevelmanns net
crypto @ fionajw de
cokonkwo @ tue nl
s rommel @ tue nl
b skoric @ tue nl
i tafur monroy @ tue nl
s r verschoor @ uva nl - History
- 2025-02-07: revised
- 2025-02-05: received
- See all versions
- Short URL
- https://ia.cr/2025/173
- License
-
CC BY-SA
BibTeX
@misc{cryptoeprint:2025/173,
author = {Nick Aquina and Bruno Cimoli and Soumya Das and Kathrin Hövelmanns and Fiona Johanna Weber and Chigo Okonkwo and Simon Rommel and Boris Škorić and Idelfonso Tafur Monroy and Sebastian Verschoor},
title = {A Critical Analysis of Deployed Use Cases for Quantum Key Distribution and Comparison with Post-Quantum Cryptography},
howpublished = {Cryptology {ePrint} Archive, Paper 2025/173},
year = {2025},
url = {https://eprint.iacr.org/2025/173}
}