A data stream with a given data rate is distributed into a plurality of virtual lanes or streams, each with a lower data rate than the data stream. Virtual lanes permit the use of lower cost electronics at the optical-electrical conversion points. Security information is generated that includes a unique initialization vector. The security information is distributed or allocated across some or all of the of the virtual data streams in a virtual lane alignment marker in a portion of the alignment marker used to maintain direct current (DC) transmission balance, but that otherwise does not provide useful information.