Quantum Key Distribution Network Simulation Module for NS-3

As research in Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) technology grows larger and more complex, the need for highly accurate and scalable simulation technologies becomes important to assess the practical feasibility and foresee difficulties in the practical implementation of theoretical achievements. Due to the specificity of QKD link which requires optical and Internet connection between the network nodes, it is very costly to deploy a complete testbed containing multiple network hosts and links to validate and verify a certain network algorithm or protocol. The network simulators in these circumstances save a lot of money and time in accomplishing such task. A simulation environment offers the creation of complex network topologies, a high degree of control and repeatable experiments, which in turn allows researchers to conduct exactly the same experiments and confirm their results.

The aim of Quantum Key Distribution Network Simulation Module (QKDNetSim) project was not to develop the entire simulator from scratch but to develop the QKD simulation module in some of the already existing well-proven simulators. QKDNetSim is intended to facilitate additional understanding of QKD technology with respect to the existing network solutions. It seeks to serve as the natural playground for taking the further steps into this research direction (even towards practical exploitation in subsequent projects or product design).

QKDNetSim implements the full functional Key Management System (KMS) with key-relay functionality supporting ETSI GS QKD 014 and ETSI GS QKD 004 key delivery interfaces.

Documentation

The detailed documentation is available on webpage https://www.qkdnetsim.info

Deployment

• The latest version of the code is compatible with NS-3 version 3.48.
• Thus, one should follow installation requirements from the NS-3 official website (https://www.nsnam.org/wiki/Installation).
• The code has been successfully tested on Ubuntu 22.04.
• QKDNetSim v2.0 module is NOT compatible with QKDNetSim version 1.0 (https://v1.qkdnetsim.info). QKDNetSim v2.0 module was written independently and from scratch.

Installation

QKDNetSim includes the QKDEncryptor class, which relies on cryptographic algorithms and schemes provided by the Crypto++ open-source C++ cryptographic library.

QKDNetSim currently supports several cryptographic algorithms and cryptographic hash functions, including the One-Time Pad (OTP) cipher, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) block cipher, VMAC message authentication code (MAC) algorithm, and others.

1. Install prerequisites

Install the required libraries and tools:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install -y \
    gcc \
    g++ \
    python3 \
    python3-dev \
    mercurial \
    bzr \
    gdb \
    valgrind \
    gsl-bin \
    doxygen \
    graphviz \
    imagemagick \
    libboost-all-dev \
    git \
    flex \
    bison \
    tcpdump \
    sqlite \
    sqlite3 \
    libsqlite3-dev \
    libxml2 \
    libxml2-dev \
    libgtk2.0-0 \
    libgtk2.0-dev \
    uncrustify \
    libcrypto++-dev \
    libcrypto++-doc \
    libcrypto++-utils \
    unzip \
    wget \
    uuid-dev \
    cmake

2. Install NS-3.48

QKDNetSim requires NS-3.48.

Clone the NS-3.48 source code:

git clone -b ns-3.48 https://gitlab.com/nsnam/ns-3-dev.git
cd ns-3-dev

3. Download QKDNetSim

Clone QKDNetSim into the NS-3 contrib directory:

cd contrib
git clone -b master https://github.com/QKDNetSim/qkdnetsim.git
cd ..

4. Check QKDNetSim patches

Before applying the patches, check that they can be applied successfully:

git apply --check contrib/qkdnetsim/patches/gnuplot_cc.patches
git apply --check contrib/qkdnetsim/patches/gnuplot_h.patches

These commands should complete without reporting any errors.

5. Apply QKDNetSim patches

Apply the required patches:

git apply contrib/qkdnetsim/patches/gnuplot_h.patches
git apply contrib/qkdnetsim/patches/gnuplot_cc.patches

6. Configure NS-3

Configure NS-3 with QKDNetSim:

./ns3 configure --enable-mpi --enable-examples

7. Run QKDNetSim examples

Run the available QKDNetSim examples:

./ns3 run examples_qkdnetsim_etsi_014
./ns3 run examples_qkdnetsim_etsi_004
./ns3 run examples_qkdnetsim_secoqc
./ns3 run examples_qkdnetsim_etsi_combined_input
./ns3 run examples_qkdnetsim_etsi_014_emulation_tap

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Optional: PQC Support

QKDNetSim can optionally be used with Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) keys through liboqs and liboqs-cpp.

PQC support is NOT required to run the standard QKDNetSim examples.

1. Install liboqs

Clone and build liboqs:

git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/liboqs

cmake -S liboqs -B liboqs/build -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=ON
cmake --build liboqs/build --parallel 8
cmake --build liboqs/build --target install

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:/usr/local/lib

2. Install liboqs-cpp

Clone and build liboqs-cpp:

git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/liboqs-cpp

cmake -S liboqs-cpp -B liboqs-cpp/build
cmake --build liboqs-cpp/build --target install
cmake --build liboqs-cpp/build --target examples --parallel 8

3. Configure NS-3

After enabling PQC support, configure NS-3 again:

./ns3 configure --enable-mpi --enable-examples -- -DQKDNETSIM_WITH_PQC=ON

4. Run the QKD + PQC example

Run the QKD + PQC example:

./ns3 run "examples_qkdnetsim_secoqc_qkd_and_pqc --pqc_enabled=1 --pqc_c=1 --numberOfETSI004ApplicationLinks=1"

For more information about the QKDNetSim PQC implementation and its parameters, check: https://doi.org/10.1109/JSAC.2026.3722598

Authors

QKDNetSim is maintained by:

• Department of Telecommunications (www.tk.etf.unsa.ba)
  Faculty of Electrical Engineering
  University of Sarajevo
  Zmaja od Bosne bb
  71000 Sarajevo
  Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Department of Telecommunications (www.comtech.vsb.cz) VSB Technical University of Ostrava
  17 . listopadu 15/2172
  Ostrava-Poruba 708 33
  Czech Republic

Main developers:

• Emir Dervisevic
• Miroslav Voznak
• Miralem Mehic

Contact us via email (miralem[at]mehic.info).

Cite

• Dervisevic, E., Voznak, M. and Mehic, M., 2024. Large-Scale Quantum Key Distribution Network Simulator. Journal of Optical Communications and Networking, doi: https://www.doi.org/10.1364/JOCN.503356
• Dervisevic, E., Tankovic, A., Kaljic, E., Voznak, M. and Mehic, M., 2025. Design of a Key Management System for Efficient Key Supply in Quantum Key Distribution Networks. Journal of Optical Communications and Networking, doi: https://www.doi.org/10.1364/JOCN.577670
• Dervisevic, E., Tankovic, A., Fazel, E., Kompella, R., Fazio, P., Voznak, M. and Mehic, M., 2025. Quantum Key Distribution Networks – Key Management: A Survey. ACM Computing Surveys, 57(10), pp. 1–36, doi: https://www.doi.org/10.1145/3730575
• Mehic, M., Dervisevic, E., Burdiak, P., Lipovac, V., Fazio, P. and Voznak, M., 2024. Emulation of quantum key distribution networks. IEEE Network, 39(1), pp.116-123. doi: https://www.doi.org/10.1109/MNET.2024.3398404
• Mehic, M., Dervisevic, E., Fazio, P. and Voznak, M., 2025. Virtual Quantum Key Distribution Network Ecosystem: The National Czech QKD Network. IEEE Network., 39(3), pp.173-179. doi: https://www.doi.org/10.1109/MNET.2025.3540705
• Mehic, M., Rass, S., Jakovlev, S., Niemiec, M., Fazio, P. and Voznak, M., 2026. On Mixing of Quantum Key Distribution and Post-Quantum Cryptographic Keys: Min-Entropy Bounds, Provisioning Policies, and Network-Oriented Trade-offs. IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications. doi: https://doi.org/10.1109/JSAC.2026.3722598

Acknowledgment

Development of QKDNetSim was supporty within projects #VJ01010008 “Network Cybersecurity in Post-Quantum Era” by the Ministry of the Interior of Czech Republic in program Impakt, Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Youth of Canton Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (27-02-35-37082-1/23), NATO SPS G5894 project ”Quantum Cybersecurity in 5G Networks (QUANTUM5)” and H2020 project OPENQKD (No. 857156).