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arXiv:1906.10978 · Physical Review A

Practical quantum key distribution with geometrically uniform states

Konstantin Kravtsov, S. N. Molotkov

Published Oct 29, 2019• 13 citations
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Abstract

In this paper we propose a practical quantum key distribution protocol based on geometrically uniform states and a standard decoy state technique. The protocol extends the ideas used in SARG04 to the limit where the core quantum communication is secure against unambiguous state discrimination and provides some level of inherent resistance to photon number splitting attacks. An additional decoy state overlay ensures its conformity to the conventional security requirements. The protocol security is analyzed by an explicit construction of the most optimal unitary attack, which is known to reach the tight security bound in the case of BB84.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.100.042329

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Comment on “Practical quantum key distribution with geometrically uniform states”

Dmitry Anatolevich Kronberg

In a recent paper, Kravtsov and Molotkov [Phys. Rev. A 100, 042329 (2019)] propose a quantum key distribution protocol and claim ``the protocol security is analyzed by an explicit construction of the most optimal unitary attack'' and ``we provide an extensive security analysis of the proposed protocol by considering a general symmetric unitary attack, and give succinct relations for the asymptotic secret key rate in the case of $N=8$.'' We show that these claims are erroneous and propose two attacks which are more effective than the attacks considered in the paper of Kravtsov and Molotkov.

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In this paper we propose a practical quantum key distribution protocol based on geometrically uniform states and a standard decoy state technique. The protocol extends the ideas used in SARG04 to the limit where the core quantum communication is secure against unambiguous state discrimination and provides some level of inherent resistance to photon number splitting attacks. An additional decoy state overlay ensures its conformity to the conventional security requirements. The protocol security is analyzed by an explicit construction of the most optimal unitary attack, which is known to reach the tight security bound in the case of BB84.
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is an innovative quantum communications protocol which exploits the laws of quantum mechanics to generate unconditionally secure cryptographic keying material between two geographically separated parties. The unique nature of QKD shows promise for high-security applications such as those found in banking, government, and military environments. However, QKD systems contain implementation non-idealities which can negatively impact their performance and security.In particular, QKD systems often employ the decoy state protocol to improve system throughput and mitigate the threat of Photon Number Splitting (PNS) attacks. In this work, a detailed analysis of the decoy state protocol is conducted which optimizes both performance in terms of quantum throughput and security with respect to detecting PNS attacks. The results of this study uniquely demonstrate that the decoy state protocol can ensure PNS attacks are detected with high confidence, while maximizing the secure key generation rate at no additional cost. Additionally, implementation security guidance is provided for QKD system developers and users.
In a recent paper, Kravtsov and Molotkov [Phys. Rev. A 100, 042329 (2019)] propose a quantum key distribution protocol and claim ``the protocol security is analyzed by an explicit construction of the most optimal unitary attack'' and ``we provide an extensive security analysis of the proposed protocol by considering a general symmetric unitary attack, and give succinct relations for the asymptotic secret key rate in the case of N=8N=8N=8.'' We show that these claims are erroneous and propose two attacks which are more effective than the attacks considered in the paper of Kravtsov and Molotkov.
SARG04 protocol has its advantages in defending photon number splitting attack, benefited from two-photon pulses part. In this paper, we present a passive decoy state SARG04 scheme combining with practical photon number resolving (PNR) detectors. Two kinds of practical detectors, transition-edge sensor and time-multiplexing detector, are taken into consideration. Theoretical analysis shows that both of them are compatible with the passive decoy state SARG04. Compared with the original SARG04, two detectors can boost the key generation rate and maximal secure distance obviously. Meanwhile, the result shows that quantum efficiency and dark count of the detector influence the maximal distance slightly, which indicates the prospect of implementation in real quantum key distribution system with imperfect practical PNS detectors.
This paper simulated the operation of vacuum state and single decoy state protocols in the BB84 and SARG04 QKD schemes by utilizing the features of the commercial ID-3000 QKD system. Numerical modeling identified an optimal signal-to-decoy state ratio of 0.95:0.05 and an intensity of μ=0.85 for the signal state and ν1=0.05 for the decoy state, ensuring the highest key generation rate and a secure distance of up to 50 km. These protocols were validated experimentally over various transmission distances with standard telecom fiber, using the ID-3000 QKD system in a conventional bi-directional plug-and-play setup. Simulations predicted secure key rates of 1.2 × 10 5 bits/s for SARG04 and 8.5 × 104 bits/s for BB84 at 10 km, with secure distances of 45 km and 35 km, respectively. The experimental results confirmed these predictions, showing a 30% higher key rate and 20% longer secure distance compared to non-decoy methods. The SARG04 protocol surpassed BB84 in key rate and secure distance, highlighting the two-photon component's role in key generation. This study concludes that the decoy-state method significantly enhances key generation rates and secure distances, optimizing QKD protocols for secure quantum communication.
Quantum key distribution (QKD) is an innovative technology that exploits the laws of quantum mechanics to generate and distribute a shared cryptographic key for secure communications. The unique nature of QKD ensures that eavesdropping on quantum communications necessarily introduces detectable errors which is desirable for high-security environments. QKD systems have been demonstrated in both freespace and optical fiber configurations, gaining global interest from national laboratories, commercial entities, and the U.S. Department of Defense. However, QKD is a nascent technology where realized systems are constructed from non-ideal components, which can significantly impact system performance and security. In this article, we describe QKD technology as part of a secure communications solution and identify vulnerabilities associated with practical network architectures. In particular, we examine the performance of decoy state enabled QKD systems against a modeled photon number splitting attack and suggest an improvement to the decoy state protocol security condition that does not assume a priori knowledge of the QKD channel efficiency.