Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1106.4615 · International Journal of Quantum Information

QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION WITH LIMITED CLASSICAL BOB

Zhiwei Sun, Ruigang Du, Dongyang Long

Published Feb 1, 2013• 44 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Recently, quantum key distribution (QKD) with classical Bob has been suggested and proven completely robust by Boyer et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett.99 (2007) 140501] in which quantum Alice has a fully-fledged quantum power, while classical Bob is restricted to preparing and measuring a particle in the computational basis, reflecting or reordering the particles. In this paper, we describe two related but simpler semi-quantum key distribution protocol that exempts classical Bob from measurement (hereafter called limited classical Bob for convenience) and, prove them completely robust. As limited classical Bob can deterministically prepare the qubits, we exploit this feature to construct a semi-quantum secure direct communication protocol, which is the direct communication of secret messages without first producing a shared secret key.

DOI
10.1142/s0219749913500056

Related papers

Semiquantum Key Distribution Using Entangled States

Jian Wang, Sheng Zhang, Quan Zhang +1 more

Recently, Boyer et al. presented a novel semiquantum key distribution protocol [ Phys. Rev. Lett. 99 (2007) 140501 ] by using four quantum states, each of which is randomly prepared in the Z or X basis. Here we present a semi-quantum key distribution protocol by using maximally entangled states in which quantum Alice shares a secret key with classical Bob. Quantum Alice has the ability to prepare Bell states and perform Bell basis or computational basis measurement. Classical Bob is restricted to measuring, preparing a particle in the computational basis, reflecting or reordering the particles. The qubit efficiency of the protocol improves to 50% and the protocol can be modified to a measure-resend protocol or a protocol without quantum memory. We also show that the protocol is secure against eavesdropping.

arXiv:1104.1267•Chinese Physics Letters•Oct 1, 2011•100 citations

Two semi-quantum secure direct communication protocols based on Bell states

Yuhua Sun, Lili Yan, Yan Zuo Chang +3 more

Quantum secure direct communication allows one participant to transmit secret messages to another directly without generating a shared secret key first. In most of the existing schemes, quantum secure direct communication can be achieved only when the two participants have full quantum ability. In this paper, we propose two semi-quantum secure direct communication protocols to allow restricted semi-quantum or “classical” users to participate in quantum communication. A semi-quantum user is restricted to measure, prepare, reorder and reflect quantum qubits only in the classical basis [Formula: see text]. Both protocols rely on quantum Alice to randomly prepare Bell states, perform Bell basis measurements and publish the initial Bell states, but the semi-quantum Bob only needs to measure the qubits in classical basis to obtain secret information without quantum memory. Security and qubit efficiency analysis have been given in this paper. The analysis results show that the two protocols can avoid some eavesdropping attacks and their qubit efficiency is higher than some current related quantum or semi-quantum protocols.

Modern Physics Letters A•Dec 7, 2018•43 citations

Quantum secret sharing with classical Bobs

Lvzhou Li, Daowen Qiu, Paulo Mateus

Boyer, Kenigsberg, and Mor [Phys.Rev.Lett.99, 140501(2007)] proposed a novel idea of semi-quantum key distribution where a key can be securely distributed between Alice who can perform any quantum operation and Bob who is classical. Extending the idea of “semiquantum” to other tasks of quantum information processing is of interest and worth considering. In this article, we consider the issue of semi-quantum secret sharing where a quantum participant Alice can share a secret key with two classical participants Bobs. After analyzing the existing protocol, we propose a new protocol of semi-quantum secret sharing. Our protocol is more realistic, since it utilizes product states instead of entangled states. We prove that any attempt of an adversary to obtain information necessarily induces some errors that the legitimate users could notice. 1

Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical•Jan 10, 2013•125 citations

Semi-quantum Key Distribution Protocol Based on Bell States

Ting Wang, Dongning Zhao, Zhiwei Sun +1 more

A quantum key distribution protocol with traditional Bob has been proposed recently by Boyer et al. using single-particle state.In this paper, a semi-quantum key distribution protocol is described, in which Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) pairs of particles are utilized to generate a secret key in remote places.This extends the quantum key distribution protocol with traditional Bob where the single-qubit channel is replaced by the entangled EPR-pair channel.And quantum Alice is able to do any quantum operations, preparing quantum states and performing quantum measurement, but traditional Bob is not able to prepare and measure a particle in the computational basis, reflect the particles.Furthermore, entanglement states are used in our protocol.The analysis shows that our protocol is secure, which can avoid the beam splitter attack automatically, and the proposed protocol is more efficient than Boyer's scheme.

International Journal of Security and Its Applications•Dec 31, 2016•1 citation

QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION WITH CLASSICAL ALICE

Hua Lu, Qing-yu Cai

It seems that quantum key distribution (QKD) may be completely insecure when the message sender Alice always encodes her key bits in a fixed basis. In this paper, we present a QKD protocol with classical Alice, i.e. Alice always encodes her key bit in the {|0〉,|1〉} basis (we call it classical {0,1} basis) and the eavesdropper Eve knows this fact. We prove that our protocol is completely robust against any eavesdropping attack and present the amount of tolerable noise against Eve's individual attack. Next, we present a QKD protocol to demonstrate that secure key bits can be distributed even if neither Alice nor Bob has quantum capacities, and extend this idea to a QKD network protocol with numerous parties who have only classical capacities. Finally, we discuss that quantum is necessary in QKD for security reasons, but both Alice and Bob may be classical.

International Journal of Quantum Information•Dec 1, 2008•70 citations

Practical security of semi-quantum key distribution

Walter O. Krawec

Unconditionally secure key distribution is impossible using classical communication only. However, by providing Alice and Bob with quantum capable hardware the task becomes possible. How quantum does a protocol need to be, though, in order to gain this advantage? In 2007, Boyer et al., proposed "semi-quantum key distribution" where only Alice need be quantum while Bob need only limited classical" capabilities. Several protocols were proposed and proven secure in the perfect qubit scenario" but not necessarily against realistic attacks (with one exception being recently published in (PRA 96 062335)). In this paper, we devise a new SQKD protocol and analyze its security against certain practical attacks.

SPIE Quantum Information Science, Sensing, and Computation•May 14, 2018•20 citations
Recently, quantum key distribution (QKD) with classical Bob has been suggested and proven completely robust by Boyer et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett.99 (2007) 140501] in which quantum Alice has a fully-fledged quantum power, while classical Bob is restricted to preparing and measuring a particle in the computational basis, reflecting or reordering the particles. In this paper, we describe two related but simpler semi-quantum key distribution protocol that exempts classical Bob from measurement (hereafter called limited classical Bob for convenience) and, prove them completely robust. As limited classical Bob can deterministically prepare the qubits, we exploit this feature to construct a semi-quantum secure direct communication protocol, which is the direct communication of secret messages without first producing a shared secret key.
Recently, Boyer et al. presented a novel semiquantum key distribution protocol [ Phys. Rev. Lett. 99 (2007) 140501 ] by using four quantum states, each of which is randomly prepared in the Z or X basis. Here we present a semi-quantum key distribution protocol by using maximally entangled states in which quantum Alice shares a secret key with classical Bob. Quantum Alice has the ability to prepare Bell states and perform Bell basis or computational basis measurement. Classical Bob is restricted to measuring, preparing a particle in the computational basis, reflecting or reordering the particles. The qubit efficiency of the protocol improves to 50% and the protocol can be modified to a measure-resend protocol or a protocol without quantum memory. We also show that the protocol is secure against eavesdropping.
Quantum secure direct communication allows one participant to transmit secret messages to another directly without generating a shared secret key first. In most of the existing schemes, quantum secure direct communication can be achieved only when the two participants have full quantum ability. In this paper, we propose two semi-quantum secure direct communication protocols to allow restricted semi-quantum or “classical” users to participate in quantum communication. A semi-quantum user is restricted to measure, prepare, reorder and reflect quantum qubits only in the classical basis [Formula: see text]. Both protocols rely on quantum Alice to randomly prepare Bell states, perform Bell basis measurements and publish the initial Bell states, but the semi-quantum Bob only needs to measure the qubits in classical basis to obtain secret information without quantum memory. Security and qubit efficiency analysis have been given in this paper. The analysis results show that the two protocols can avoid some eavesdropping attacks and their qubit efficiency is higher than some current related quantum or semi-quantum protocols.
Boyer, Kenigsberg, and Mor [Phys.Rev.Lett.99, 140501(2007)] proposed a novel idea of semi-quantum key distribution where a key can be securely distributed between Alice who can perform any quantum operation and Bob who is classical. Extending the idea of “semiquantum” to other tasks of quantum information processing is of interest and worth considering. In this article, we consider the issue of semi-quantum secret sharing where a quantum participant Alice can share a secret key with two classical participants Bobs. After analyzing the existing protocol, we propose a new protocol of semi-quantum secret sharing. Our protocol is more realistic, since it utilizes product states instead of entangled states. We prove that any attempt of an adversary to obtain information necessarily induces some errors that the legitimate users could notice. 1
A quantum key distribution protocol with traditional Bob has been proposed recently by Boyer et al. using single-particle state.In this paper, a semi-quantum key distribution protocol is described, in which Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) pairs of particles are utilized to generate a secret key in remote places.This extends the quantum key distribution protocol with traditional Bob where the single-qubit channel is replaced by the entangled EPR-pair channel.And quantum Alice is able to do any quantum operations, preparing quantum states and performing quantum measurement, but traditional Bob is not able to prepare and measure a particle in the computational basis, reflect the particles.Furthermore, entanglement states are used in our protocol.The analysis shows that our protocol is secure, which can avoid the beam splitter attack automatically, and the proposed protocol is more efficient than Boyer's scheme.
It seems that quantum key distribution (QKD) may be completely insecure when the message sender Alice always encodes her key bits in a fixed basis. In this paper, we present a QKD protocol with classical Alice, i.e. Alice always encodes her key bit in the {|0〉,|1〉} basis (we call it classical {0,1} basis) and the eavesdropper Eve knows this fact. We prove that our protocol is completely robust against any eavesdropping attack and present the amount of tolerable noise against Eve's individual attack. Next, we present a QKD protocol to demonstrate that secure key bits can be distributed even if neither Alice nor Bob has quantum capacities, and extend this idea to a QKD network protocol with numerous parties who have only classical capacities. Finally, we discuss that quantum is necessary in QKD for security reasons, but both Alice and Bob may be classical.
Unconditionally secure key distribution is impossible using classical communication only. However, by providing Alice and Bob with quantum capable hardware the task becomes possible. How quantum does a protocol need to be, though, in order to gain this advantage? In 2007, Boyer et al., proposed "semi-quantum key distribution" where only Alice need be quantum while Bob need only limited classical" capabilities. Several protocols were proposed and proven secure in the perfect qubit scenario" but not necessarily against realistic attacks (with one exception being recently published in (PRA 96 062335)). In this paper, we devise a new SQKD protocol and analyze its security against certain practical attacks.