Quantum Cryptography‐Inspired Hypertext Transfer Protocol for Secured Communication Networks: Challenges, Architecture, Applications, and Future Research

ABSTRACT Historically, the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) and hypertext transfer protocol secure (HTTPS) have been vital tools for web communication, serving to assure the safety and transmission of data in conventional networks. However, HTTPS protects sensitive information, like login passwords and personal details, from interception by unauthorized entities during Internet browsing. It fundamentally creates a secure link for digital communication. In spite of this, the introduction of quantum computing and quantum Internet has brought to light the limitations of classical protocols (i.e., HTTP and HTTPS) in terms of scalability, performance, and security. This has led to the investigation of quantum alternatives, such as quantum cryptography‐inspired hypertext transfer protocol (QCHTTP). In this paper, a general architecture model belonging to QCHTTP is proposed. Furthermore, a comparative study on HTTP, HTTPS, and QCHTTP is provided along with the features of these protocols that are highlighted. Furthermore, the challenges related to QCHTTP are discussed. Next, various applications of QCHTTP are discussed. The practical implementation of QCHTTP is also provided. Finally, the work is concluded with some important remarks and future research directions associated with QCHTTP.