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arXiv:2009.12535 · Electronics

Double C-NOT Attack on a Single-State Semi-Quantum Key Distribution Protocol and Its Improvement

Jun Gu, Tzonelih Hwang

Published Aug 12, 2022• 10 citations
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Abstract

Recently, Zhang et al. proposed a single-state semi-quantum key distribution protocol to help a quantum participant share a secret key with a classical participant. However, this study shows that an eavesdropper can use a double C-NOT attack to obtain parts of the final shared key without being detected by the participants. To avoid this problem, a modification is proposed here.

DOI
10.3390/electronics11162522

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Recently, Zhang et al. proposed a single-state semi-quantum key distribution protocol to help a quantum participant share a secret key with a classical participant. However, this study shows that an eavesdropper can use a double C-NOT attack to obtain parts of the final shared key without being detected by the participants. To avoid this problem, a modification is proposed here.
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A recent paper proposed a semi-quantum secret sharing (SQSS) scheme based on Bell states [A. Yin et al., Mod. Phys. Lett. B. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0217984917501500 ]. This protocol was presumed that only the sender has the quantum power and all participants perform classical operations. However, we find this protocol is not that secure as it is expected. We can utilize the intercept-resend method to attack this scheme. Then, we give an improvement strategy based on semi-quantum key distribution, which ensures that the new scheme resists the attack we have proposed.
In 2021, Chang et al. proposed an authenticated semi-quantum key-distribution (ASQKD) protocol using single photons and an authenticated channel. However, an eavesdropper can launch a reflective attack to forge the receiver’s identity without being detected. In addition, Chang et al.’s ASQKD protocol assumes an authenticated classical channel between the sender and the receiver. It is considered illogical to have an authenticated channel in the ASQKD protocol. If these security issues are not addressed, the ASQKD protocol will fail to deliver the secret key. Therefore, this study proposes an efficient and secure ASQKD protocol to circumvent these problems using only single photons. Security analysis proves that the proposed ASQKD protocol can effectively avoid reflecting attacks, collective attacks, and other typical attacks. Compared with the existing ASQKD protocols, this study has the following advantages: based on a single photon, it demands less advanced quantum devices, the communication efficiency is higher than most protocols, it reduces the length of the required pre-shared keys, endures reflecting attacks, collective attacks, and there is no need for the classical channel.