aiqbench analysis
This research introduces QE-AES, a key-management wrapper leveraging commercial quantum random-number generators to enhance AES-256 security against future threats without altering the core encryption algorithm. The study identifies entropy delivery from these sources as the primary performance bottleneck rather than computational overhead within the cipher itself.
Quantum-enabled framework for the Advanced Encryption Standard in the post-quantum era
arXiv:2502.02445v2 Announce Type: replace Abstract: The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)-256 remains resistant to known quantum key-search attacks when keys are uniformly generated. We present quantum-enabled AES (QE-AES), a key-management wrapper that provisions unmodified AES-256 with output delivered by a commercial quantum random-number generator and periodically replaces epoch keys. Evaluation covers Special Publication 800-90B diagnostics on vendor-processed output, capture-backed performance, a live delivery probe, and a simulated correlation-power-analysis model. QE-AES does not enlarge the AES key space or provide masking; it supplies a separate source path and bounds key reuse under an independent-epoch assumption. Entropy delivery, rather than AES, is the principal performance constraint.
Abstract:The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)-256 remains resistant to known quantum key-search attacks when keys are uniformly generated. We present quantum-enabled AES (QE-AES), a key-management wrapper that provisions unmodified AES-256 with output delivered by a commercial quantum random-number generator and periodically replaces epoch keys. Evaluation covers Special Publication 800-90B diagnostics on vendor-processed output, capture-backed performance, a live delivery probe, and a simulated correlation-power-analysis model. QE-AES does not enlarge the AES key space or provide masking; it supplies a separate source path and bounds key reuse under an independent-epoch assumption. Entropy delivery, rather than AES, is the principal performance constraint.
Quantum Physics (quant-ph); Cryptography and Security (cs.CR)
arXiv:2502.02445 [quant-ph]
(or arXiv:2502.02445v2 [quant-ph] for this version)
https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2502.02445 Focus to learn more arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite
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Full text under the publisher's open licence · 194 words
