Positive long-term bit generation doesn’t guarantee usable keys when you need them, a surprising disconnect now formally addressed for mobile quantum communication networks. This work distinguishes between simply having secret bits and reliably delivering them by deadline, introducing an elementary condition that prevents borrowing from future contacts. The analysis provides the first systems-level benchmark for evaluating whether deployed free-space QKD can meet real-world cryptographic demands on platforms like trains or satellites.
Researchers Link Mobile QKD Arrival Rates with Secure Key Deadlines
Positive long-term bit generation doesn’t guarantee usable keys when you need them, a surprising disconnect now formally addressed for mobile quantum communication networks. This work distinguishes between simply *having* secret bits and reliably delivering them by deadline, introducing an elementary condition that prevents borrowing from future contacts. The analysis provides the first systems-level benchmark for evaluating whether deployed free-space QKD can meet real-world cryptographic de...