Multi-path Security in Quantum Networks with Trusted Nodes
Abstract
Quantum communication networks promise information-theoretic security but this security collapses if intermediate relay nodes are compromised, a risk that grows sharply when compromised nodes cannot be identified. We address this twofold: first, we show that multi-path routing provides quantifiable protection against unidentified compromised nodes. Second, we provide a comprehensive statistical and graph-theoretic analysis of network and node security under compromise, covering full and partial node compromise, optimal placement of additional edges via an iterative method, and comparative hacking-probability analysis across network topologies. Together, these results identify the topology and multi-path routing strategy that most improves security for a given network. We apply this framework to quantum key distribution across multiple network topologies, demonstrating a scalable route to secure, reliable quantum communication under realistic, unidentified adversarial threats, without relying on quantum memory.
Related
- Quantum utility routing in continuous-variable QKD networks with trusted and untrusted relays
- Identifying maximal sets of significantly interacting nodes in higher-order networks
- Non-Monotonic Exciton Transport Efficiency in Multi-layer Ring-shaped Quantum Networks inspired by Photosystem I
- Scalable Hybrid Device Architecture on Thin-Film Lithium Tantalate for Long Distance Quantum Network Nodes with Atomic Frequency Comb Quantum Memories
- Security of quantum key distribution with passive basis choice and detection-efficiency mismatch for a realistic satellite setup
BibTeX
@misc{haider2026multipath,
title = {{Multi-path Security in Quantum Networks with Trusted Nodes}},
author = {Muhammad Kumail Haider and Aeysha Khalique},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.26120},
eprint = {2610.26120},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.26120},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Multi-path Security in Quantum Networks with Trusted Nodes
AU - Muhammad Kumail Haider
AU - Aeysha Khalique
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.26120
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.26120
AB - Quantum communication networks promise information-theoretic security but this security collapses if intermediate relay nodes are compromised, a risk that grows sharply when compromised nodes cannot be identified. We address this twofold: first, we show that multi-path routing provides quantifiable protection against unidentified compromised nodes. Second, we provide a comprehensive statistical and graph-theoretic analysis of network and node security under compromise, covering full and partial node compromise, optimal placement of additional edges via an iterative method, and comparative hacking-probability analysis across network topologies. Together, these results identify the topology and multi-path routing strategy that most improves security for a given network. We apply this framework to quantum key distribution across multiple network topologies, demonstrating a scalable route to secure, reliable quantum communication under realistic, unidentified adversarial threats, without relying on quantum memory.
ER -