Lightweight Quantum-Resistant System for Space Communication

To address the Air Force and Space Force's need to secure small devices operating in the DoD networks, SylLab proposes OnyxÖ - zero-trust authentication and encryption system.Ā Radiofrequency communication of small devices within DoD networks is vulnerable to side-channel attacks and emerging quantum threats. Protecting them requires power and computation resources. Devices with limited computation and power resources remain unsecured, creating vulnerabilities that adversaries can exploit. With the emergence of small satellites and post-quantum cryptography standards, there is a pressing need for fast encryption and zero-trust authentication. DoDÆs investments in small satellites are opening the networks to a new range of side-channel attacks that, if not mitigated, will expand the budget in the future to acquire new tools to detect the attacks; however, this can be prevented if this risk can be mitigated by design, and thatÆs what SylLab is offering with this proposal. SylLab proposes zero-trust authentication at lower cost and mission-critical speed with side-channel attack protection. This Phase I proposal is focused on determining and demonstrating the feasibility of OnyxÖ in a DoD network and developing a plan for a prototype. The key performance indicators of the proposed solution are authentication, speed, power consumption, and side-channel protection.