Quantum signature (QS) is used to authenticate the identity of the originator, ensure data integrity and provide non-repudiation service with unconditional security. Depending on whether a trusted third party named arbitrator is involved or not, QS is classified as arbitrated QS and true QS. This paper studies existence problem about the two kinds of QS and contributes to two points: (1) a basic framework is provided to analyze the possibility of arbitrated QS on signing quantum messages; (2) disagreement between the impossibility of true QS and an existing true QS scheme is solved.
Quantum signature (QS) is used to authenticate the identity of the originator, ensure data integrity and provide non-repudiation service with unconditional security. Depending on whether a trusted third party named arbitrator is involved or not, QS is classified as arbitrated QS and true QS. This paper studies existence problem about the two kinds of QS and contributes to two points: (1) a basic framework is provided to analyze the possibility of arbitrated QS on signing quantum messages; (2) disagreement between the impossibility of true QS and an existing true QS scheme is solved.
When we want to sign a quantum message that we create, we can use arbitrated quantum signature schemes which are possible to sign for not only known quantum messages but also unknown quantum messages. However, since the arbitrated quantum signature schemes need the help of a trusted arbitrator in each verification of the signature, it is known that the schemes are not convenient in practical use. If we consider only known quantum messages such as the above situation, there can exist a quantum signature scheme with more efficient structure. In this paper, we present a new quantum signature scheme for known quantum messages without the help of an arbitrator. Differing from arbitrated quantum signature schemes based on the quantum one-time pad with the symmetric key, since our scheme is based on quantum public-key cryptosystems, the validity of the signature can be verified by a receiver without the help of an arbitrator. Moreover, we show that our scheme provides the functions of quantum message integrity, user authentication and non-repudiation of the origin as in digital signature schemes.
Due to potential capability of providing unconditional security, arbitrated quantum signature (AQS) schemes, whose implementation depends on the participation of a trusted third party, received intense attention in the past decade. Recently, some typical AQS schemes were cryptanalyzed and improved. In this paper, we analyze security property of some AQS schemes and show that all the previous AQS schemes, no matter original or improved, are still insecure in the sense that the messages and the corresponding signatures can be exchanged among different receivers, allowing the receivers to deny accepting the signature of an appointed message. Some further improvement methods on the AQS schemes are also discussed.
A digital signature is a mathematical scheme for demonstrating the authenticity of a digital message or document. For signing quantum messages, some arbitrated quantum signature schemes have being proposed. However, in the existing literature, arbitrated quantum signature schemes depend on entanglement. In this paper, we present two arbitrated quantum signature schemes without utilizing entangled states in the signing phase and the verifying phase. The first proposed scheme can preserve the merits in the existing schemes. Then, we point out, in this scheme and the prior schemes, there exists a problem that Bob can repudiate the integrality of the signatures. To conquer this problem, we construct another arbitrated quantum signature scheme without using quantum entangled states but using a public board. The new scheme has three advantages: it does not utilize entangled states while it can preserve all merits in the existing schemes; the integrality of the signature can avoid being disavowed by the receiver; and, it provides a higher efficiency in transmission and reduces the complexity of implementation. Furthermore, we present a technique such that the quantum message can keep secret to the arbitrator in a arbitrated quantum signature scheme.
Arbitrated quantum signature (AQS) schemes aim at ensuring the authenticity of a message with the help of an arbitrator. Moreover, they aim at preventing repudiation, both from a sender that denies the origin of a message, and from a receiver who disavows its reception. Such protocols use quantum communication and are often designed to protect quantum messages. In this paper, we study four recently submitted AQS schemes and propose attacks on their security.
Firstly, we look at Zhang, Sun, Zhang and Jia's AQS scheme which aims at signing quantum messages with chained CNOT encryption. We show that the sender can repudiate her messages and make false allegation of reception. Moreover, we show that a dishonest receiver can forge signatures.
Secondly, we analyse Ding, Xin, Yang and Sang's AQS protocol to sign classical messages based on GHZ states. We show that both the sender and the receiver have simple repudiation strategies.
Thirdly, we study Lu, Li, Yu and Han's AQS scheme that uses controlled teleportation to protect quantum messages. We expose forgeries, false allegation attacks and the possibility of repudiation by both parties.
Fourthly, we focus on the AQS scheme by Zhang, Xin, Sun, Li and Li designed to sign classical messages without entangled states. We show that one can disavow the reception of messages, and that information-theoretic security is not achieved for other security goals.
Many arbitrated quantum signature schemes implemented with the help of a trusted third party have been developed up to now. In order to guarantee unconditional security, most of them take advantage of the optimal quantum one-time encryption based on Pauli operators. However, in this paper we point out that the previous schemes provide security only against a total break attack and show in fact that there exists an existential forgery attack that can validly modify the transmitted pair of message and signature. In addition, we also provide a simple method to recover security against the proposed attack.
A digital signature is a mathematical scheme for demonstrating the authenticity of a digital message or document. For signing quantum messages, some arbitrated quantum signature (AQS) schemes have been proposed. It was claimed that these AQS schemes could guarantee unconditional security. However, we show that they can be repudiated by the receiver Bob. To conquer this shortcoming, we construct an AQS scheme using a public board. The AQS scheme not only avoids being disavowed by the receiver but also preserves all merits in the existing schemes. Furthermore, we discover that entanglement is not necessary while all these existing AQS schemes depend on entanglement. Therefore, we present another AQS scheme without utilizing entangled states in the signing phase and the verifying phase. This scheme has three advantages: it does not utilize entangled states and it preserves all merits in the existing schemes; the signature can avoid being disavowed by the receiver; and it provides a higher efficiency in transmission and reduces the complexity of implementation.