Physical Layer Security - Are There Alternatives to Algorithmic Cryptography?

Co-organisers: Christoph Lipps, German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence, Marija Furdek Prekratic, Chalmers University of Technology, Helmut Griesser, Adva Network Security.

Secure communication depends heavily on cryptographic protocols and algorithms. This is also true for optical networks and will not change with the availability of cryptographically relevant quantum computers.

On the other hand, there exists a range of physical layer techniques for optical and wireless communication that are based on different principles aiming to replace or complement certain cryptographic primitives. Among the concepts presented are those based on secure transmission by means of Wyners wiretapping channel model, authentication with the help of physical unclonable functions, and distributed key distillation based on quantum communication or physical properties of the channel.

In this workshop the speakers will give an overview of various concepts that were proposed in the past and explain the security properties. The workshop will be concluded by a panel discussion, also aiming to compare the potential and rate the practical relevance of the different techniques.

PHY Security: Which solution offers what security? 

Peter Winzer, USA

How can the physical layer help us in the tasks of authentication and system integrity – some ideas.

Cathy White, BT, UK

Some practical considerations of implementing PLS in an optical transceiver.

Xi (Vivian) Chen, Nokia Bell Labs, USA

Quantum Key Distribution.

Ken Tanizawa, Tamagawa University, Japan.

Stefan Karlsson, FMV, Sweden

Fingerprint in Optical Communications and Networks.

Luca Poti, CNIT, Italy

Y-00 Quantum Stream Cipher: Signal-Level Symmetric-Key Encryption Utilizing Quantum Properties of Coherent Light