Dual-Layered Quantum-Secure Concealing: Steganography over Quantum Key Distribution

Rezaeishad, Donya Sadat; Bahramgiri, Hossein

doi:10.22042/isecure.2026.240529

Dual-Layered Quantum-Secure Concealing: Steganography over Quantum Key Distribution

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Donya Sadat Rezaeishad ¹

Hossein Bahramgiri ²

¹ Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran.

² Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Malek-Ashtar University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.

10.22042/isecure.2026.240529

Abstract

In the quantum computing era, classical encryption faces unprecedented vulnerabilities, while Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) alone remains insufficient for top-secret data transmission due to practical hardware flaws. In this paper, a novel dual-layered framework that integrates steganography with QKD is proposed to enhance security and concealment. The proposed protocol embeds encrypted messages within QKD keys during post-processing, leveraging existing infrastructure without requiring hardware modifications. The message is first compressed, encoded, and encrypted using a pre-shared QKD key via one-time-pad encryption. A block-based search mechanism then hides message bits within the sifted key while preserving statistical randomness. Crucially, this approach provides two-layer security: information-theoretic encryption via QKD and undetectable message existence. Evaluations confirm ultra-low failure probabilities of embedding (below 10−12 for 1000-bit messages) and minimal deviations in sifted key length (under 1% for typical blocks). The solution enables eavesdropper detection, maintaining full compatibility with standard QKD post-processing. By unifying steganographic stealth with QKD’s theoretical security, this work establishes a practical solution for transmitting top-secret data against evolving quantum threats.

Keywords

Cryptography

Information hiding

Quantum communication

Quantum key management

Security

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