Secure Quantum Machine Learning via Quantum Cryptography: Theoretical Framework and Implementation Insights

Abstract

As quantum machine learning (QML) continues to evolve, it promises unparalleled computational advantages in processing complex data. However, the rise of QML also introduces critical concerns regarding data security and privacy, particularly in sensitive domains such as healthcare, finance, and defense. Classical cryptographic methods fall short in addressing threats that arise in quantum communication and computation environments. To bridge this gap, this paper presents a hybrid framework that integrates quantum cryptography—specifically Quantum Key Distribution (QKD)—with QML pipelines, ensuring end-to-end quantum-secure machine
learning operations. We first construct a theoretical model that outlines how QKD can be effectively embedded into a typical QML workflow to mitigate adversarial threats such as eavesdropping, model inversion, and poisoning attacks. We then implement this framework using IBM’s Qiskit and a simulated QKD environment via QuNetSim, applying it to a quantum support vector machine (qSVM) classifier. The integration is evaluated based on accuracy, computational overhead, and communication latency. Our results indicate that quantum-secured QML systems can maintain robust model performance while significantly enhancing data confidentiality. This work lays the groundwork for future developments in secure quantum artificial intelligence infrastructures.