Patent ID: 8903094
Filing Date: 2014-12-02
Classification: H04L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. Cryptographic key distribution system comprising: a server node (S); at least a first electronic communication device comprising a processor, a memory, and a first client node (C a repeater network comprising a first repeater node (R) connected to the server node (S) by means of a second quantum channel; and at least a second electronic communication device comprising a second client node (C wherein the server node (S) and the first client node (C wherein the first client node (C wherein the repeater network and the second client node (C wherein the second client node (C wherein the server node (S) and the repeater network are configured to cooperatively generate a second link quantum key associated with the second subscriber by implementing a quantum key distribution on the second quantum channel; wherein the repeater network is further configured to: encrypt the second link quantum key on the basis of the transfer quantum key; and send the encrypted second link quantum key to the second subscriber by means of one or more public communication channel(s); wherein the server node (S) is further configured to: encrypt a traffic cryptographic key associated with the first and second system subscribers on the basis of the first link quantum key and of a first service authentication key associated with the first subscriber; send the traffic cryptographic key encrypted on the basis of the first link quantum key and of the first service authentication key to the first subscriber by means of one or more public communication channel(s); encrypt the traffic cryptographic key associated with the first and second system subscribers on the basis of the second link quantum key and of a second service authentication key associated with the second subscriber; and send the traffic cryptographic key encrypted on the basis of the second link quantum key and of the second service authentication key to the second subscriber by means of one or more public communication channel(s); wherein the server node (S) is further configured to: store a current first service authentication key associated with the first subscriber and a current second service authentication key associated with the second subscriber; encrypt the traffic cryptographic key associated with the first and second subscribers and a new first service authentication key associated with the first subscriber on the basis of the first link quantum key and of the current first service authentication key; send the traffic cryptographic key and the new first service authentication key encrypted on the basis of the first link quantum key and of the current first service authentication key to the first subscriber by means of one or more public communication channel(s); encrypt the traffic cryptographic key, which is associated with the first and second subscribers, and a new second service authentication key, which is associated with the second subscriber, on the basis of the second link quantum key and of the current second service authentication key; send the traffic cryptographic key and the new second service authentication key encrypted on the basis of the second link quantum key and of the current second service authentication key to the second subscriber by means of one or more public communication channel(s); and update the current first service authentication key stored in memory with the new first service authentication key and the current second service authentication key stored in memory with the new second service authentication key; wherein the server node (S) is further configured to encrypt the traffic cryptographic key and the new first service authentication key by performing a One Time Pad (OTP) encryption of said traffic cryptographic key and said new first service authentication key on the basis of the first link quantum key, thereby obtaining a first encrypted message; encrypt the first encrypted message on the basis of the current first se ice authentication key, thereby obtaining a second encrypted message; send the second encrypted message to the first subscriber by means of one or more public communication channel(s); encrypt the traffic cryptographic key and the new second service authentication key by performing a One Time Pad (OTP) encryption of said traffic cryptographic key and of said new second service authentication key on the basis of the second link quantum key, thereby obtaining a third encrypted message; encrypt the third encrypted message on the basis of the current second service authentication key, thereby obtaining a fourth encrypted message; and send the fourth encrypted message to the second subscriber by means of one or more public communication channel(s).