Quantum Key Distribution Key Management System (QKD-KMS)
The next generation of secure key distribution in a post-quantum era.
Key Management for Quantum secure networks
At AIT we developed a Key Management System (KMS) for Quantum Key Distribution Networks (QKD), establishing a secure end-to-end key in a QKD backed communication network. Year long experience in QKD, cryptography and industry application come together to solve the challenges of tomorrow, today.
Cryptography
Experts in the field of cryptography, post-quantum cryptography and implementation of cryptographic applications contribute to the KMS.
QKD
Year long experience in the field of QKD give the team an edge at understanding the underlying quantum infrastructure.
Standard Interfaces
The KMS complies to the most relevant specifications in QKD, supporting the ETSI GS QKD 014 and ETSI GS QKD 004 interface.
SDN ready
Larger QKD backed infrastructure benefits from SDN, the KMS offers an interface to an SDN Agent for network agility according to the ETSI GS QKD 015 specification.
Applied in Projects
The KMS is developed and used in several QKD related projects, such as the Austrian EuroQCI project QCI-CAT.
Development
The KMS is designed considering applicable recommendations, such as the ITU-T Y3800 family and NIST SP 800-57. Best practices of secure software development are applied.
Latest News
- Publication on DISCRETION project
At the 2025 International Conference on Quantum Communications, Networking, and Computing (QCNC) the main research results of the DISCRETION project were published and the AIT research team contributed significantly to the success of that research and publication. - KMS showcased at IDSF Vienna
The KMS was showcased at the International Digital Security Forum (IDSF) 2025 in Vienna. This showcase accompanied the talks throughout the 3 days, but was especially supporting Qunatum technology held on the first day. - Discretion project final review
The DISCRETION project was concluded successfully in time. It was one of the projects that substantially contributed to the success of the KMS research and development efforts at AIT. The team thanks the competent consortium and highly skilled individual researchers with whom we had the pleasure to work together. As a treat the final presentation of the project included a showcase of all system components developed including QKD layer, KMS, SDN, SDR and Cipher Machine. - KMS showcased at BMLV Vienna
Within the scope of the DISCRETION project, as the last showcase in Vienna within the project, the KMS was showcased at the BMLV. Together with the Cipher machines developed within the scope of DISCRETION, the showcase featured the KMS in a three node deployment. - KMS showcased at FEINDEF Madrid
As part of the DISCRETION project, the AIT-KMS was showcased at the defense fair FEINDEF in Madrid. The KMS integrated a mesh network of QKD devices by the university of Aveiro and provided end-to-end keys to Software Defined Radios (SDR) and military grade cipher machines. It also integrated with the SDN solution by the Universidad Politecia de Madrid (UPM), Nextworks and Telefonica.