Cosmic coding and transfer for ultra high security near-field communications.

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Information Security
• Computer Science

Background:

• True random number (TRN) generators offer high security but lack secure transfer methods.
• Quantum key distribution (QKD) faces predicted and demonstrated quantum cracking strategies.
• Existing secure communication methods have limitations in achieving ultimate security and practical transfer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce COSMOCAT, a novel system for next-generation ultrahigh security near-field communications.
• To leverage cosmic-ray muons for secure generation and distribution of cryptographic keys.
• To provide a practical and highly secure solution for near-field data transfer.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing naturally occurring cosmic-ray muons as a source for true random number generation.
• Developing a prototype system (COSMOCAT) for key generation and distribution via muons.
• Implementing near-field communication protocols for data transfer using the generated cosmic keys.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated successful generation and distribution of cryptographic keys using cosmic-ray muons.
• Achieved practical encoding and near-field data transfer rates of 10-100 Mbps.
• Validated the unprecedented security level offered by the COSMOCAT system.

Conclusions:

• COSMOCAT presents a viable solution for ultrahigh security near-field communications.
• The COSMOCAT prototype and standard offer a new paradigm for secure key management.
• Cosmic-ray muon-based key distribution is anticipated to be a key technique for future secure communication systems.