Work

Quditto : Emulating and Orchestrating Distributed QKD Network Deployments

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) offers information-theoretic security by leveraging quantum mechanics, yet the cost and complexity of dedicated hardware and fiber infrastructure have so far limited large-scale deployment and experimentation. In this paper, we introduce Quditto, an automated open-access emulation platform that combines high-fidelity quantum-channel modeling with a standardized key-delivery API, enabling users to interact with the emulated network exactly as they would with real QKD hardware. Quditto modular design supports pluggable protocol implementations, complex key management schemes and detailed channel models, including variable attenuation and decoherence. We validate Quditto by deploying networks of various sizes and demonstrate its flexibility through two proof-of-concept scenarios featuring eavesdropper attacks and heterogeneous channel conditions.

Source: IEEE Network

DOI: 10.1109/mnet.2026.3736912

Authors: Blanca Lopez, Angela Diaz-Bricio, Javier Perez, Ivan Vidal, Francisco Valera

Institutions: IMDEA Networks, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

Language: English

Topic: Quantum Information and Cryptography

Subfield: Artificial Intelligence

Field: Computer Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,995

Funders: European Commission, HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme, Agencia Estatal de Investigación