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Quantum Cryptography: Secure Communication in the Quantum Era
Najam Uddin Awais Mohammed
ITM 510 Research in Information Technology
#517
Concordia University St Paul
Chris Meehleib
06/09/2024
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Quantum cryptography: Secure communication in the quantum era
Introduction
The introduction will start by presenting an overview of Quantum Cryptography and
how it is ideal for enhancing communication security. The introduction will highlight the
limitations existing in classical cryptographics and explain why it is important to implement
more sophisticated security solutions. The principles of quantum mechanics and their
relationship to cryptography and entanglement will be presented. Furthermore, the
introduction will also present the objectives of the research. A thesis statement will be
provided indicating the importance of undertaking the research.
Problem Statement
The problem statement will outline some challenges traditional cryptographic systems
face in responding to quantum computing threats. The problem statement will present why
current encryption methods have failed in protecting crucial data in the age of constantly
evolving technology. The need for more future-proof security methods will be presented in
relation to how Quantum Cryptography can provide reliable protection. Furthermore, the
issues emerging in implementing these systems, such as cost implications, will also be
outlined.
Background
The background of the study will describe how Quantum Cryptography has evolved
over the years and transitioned from traditional techniques to more advanced, reliable
techniques. The critical concepts of Quantum mechanics, such as superposition, will be
presented, which are the backbone for Quantum cryptography. Quantum key distribution
(QKD0 protocols) and their impact on the future of secure communication will also be
mentioned.
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Purpose
The purpose of the study will be to present how quantum cryptographic techniques
are effective in enhancing communication security. The research will determine how QKD
protocols are instrumental and their merits compared to classical methods. The study will
analyze previous literature and experiments on the subject to assess how QC can be
incorporated into pre-existing systems to protect against cyber threats.
Significance
The research significance will further emphasize why improving cryptographic
methods to deal with current system vulnerabilities against computing threats is crucial. This
section will also indicate how QC will help evolve data security with unbreakable encryption.
Furthermore, this section will highlight how various industries can benefit from this secure
communication.
Methods
The methodology section will include a comprehensive secondary literature review. It
will indicate how suitable scholarly articles were identified for this paper. The criteria for
selecting suitable sources will be presented. This will also include the analytical framework
incorporated for comparison and bridging research gaps.
Literature Review
The literature review will include an exploration of relevant academic databases such
as Google Scholar, Emerald Insight, IEEE, and ScienceDirect. Keywords such as quantum
cryptography, quantum key distribution, and secure communication will be used to obtain the
relevant content. The obtained literature will be discussed based on credibility and then
grouped based on theoretical frameworks. A comparative analysis will then be conducted
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against classical cryptography methods. This will bridge research gaps and propel future
research.
Hypothesis
This will include a testable prediction that has been obtained from gaps in existing
research. A sample hypothesis would be that QKD protocols give higher security levels than
traditional cryptographic techniques.
Definition of Terms
Technical terms will be defined along with unknown abbreviations.
Research Assumptions
Research assumptions will include the notion that QC principles are reliable and
credible. Other assumptions will be based on the scalability of QKD protocols and their
integration into current communication infrastructures. These assumptions will help guide
how the results are interpreted.
Scope And Limitations
The scope of the study will create a clear boundary of the specific things the research
will cover, such as QC principles, challenges in implementation, and comparative analysis
with pre-existing cryptographic methods. It also presents the application of QKD protocols to
real-life industries.
Explain the procedure
The procedure will incorporate several steps:
A comprehensive literature review
Analysis of previous experiments on the reliability of QKD protocols.
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Collecting data on crucial metrics such as security levels and error rates.
Analysis of the results obtained on the scalability of QKD protocols.
Presentations of findings and implications for future research on secure
communication.
