Introduction

Piller, Ernst; Schölnast, Hubert

doi:10.1007/978-3-032-24764-3_1

Content of this chapter

Chapter 1 · Introduction

The introduction defines the book's practical problem: selecting suitable technologies for high-security telecommunications and data storage when conventional mathematical security assumptions are regarded as insufficient. It positions key generation and key distribution as central procurement and architecture questions, especially for organizations that must protect sensitive research, medical, government, or corporate data over long periods.

The chapter introduces QKD, RKD, and MKD as three physical approaches that are compared by a common criteria grid. Instead of ranking them abstractly, it evaluates secret key rates, range and attenuation, robustness, infrastructure requirements, cost, standardization, implementation risks, integration issues, post-processing, and side channels. This makes the comparison usable for decision-makers rather than only for specialists in a single technology.

A central result is that each method shifts the security and operational burden to a different place. QKD is tied to quantum channels, trusted nodes, costs, and distance limits; RKD is inexpensive and mobile but constrained by range and key rate; MKD can move very large key volumes but requires secure generation, storage, transport, and chain-of-custody control. The chapter therefore establishes the book's overall decision framework.

Introduces the comparison of QKD, RKD, and MKD
Frames physical cryptography as a procurement and architecture issue
Explains the criteria used throughout the book
Contrasts key-rate, range, cost, and infrastructure limits
Emphasizes decision support rather than technology ranking

Suggested citation

Reference in IEEE style

E. Piller and H. Schölnast, “Introduction,” in Data Encryption at the Intersection of Mathematics and Physics: Comparing Physical Methods of Cryptography. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Cham, 2026, doi: 10.1007/978-3-032-24764-3_1.

Reference in ACM style

Ernst Piller and Hubert Schölnast. 2026. Introduction. In Data Encryption at the Intersection of Mathematics and Physics: Comparing Physical Methods of Cryptography. Springer Cham, Cham, Switzerland. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-24764-3_1

BibTeX entry

@incollection{piller_schoelnast_2026_chapter_1_introduction,
  title     = {Introduction},
  author    = {Ernst Piller and Hubert Schölnast},
  booktitle = {Data Encryption at the Intersection of Mathematics and Physics: Comparing Physical Methods of Cryptography},
  publisher = {Springer Cham},
  series    = {SpringerBriefs in Information Security and Cryptography},
  year      = {2026},
  doi       = {10.1007/978-3-032-24764-3_1},
  url       = {https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-032-24764-3_1},
  language  = {en}
}

RIS entry

TY  - CHAP
TI  - Introduction
T2  - Data Encryption at the Intersection of Mathematics and Physics: Comparing Physical Methods of Cryptography
AU  - Piller, Ernst
AU  - Schölnast, Hubert
PY  - 2026
PB  - Springer Cham
T3  - SpringerBriefs in Information Security and Cryptography
DO  - 10.1007/978-3-032-24764-3_1
UR  - https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-032-24764-3_1
LA  - en
ER  -

CSL JSON entry

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