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arXiv:2508.12938

Modified security analysis of device-independent quantum key distribution with random key basis

Sawan Bhattacharyya, Turbasu Chatterjee, Pankaj Agrawal, Prasenjit Deb

Published Aug 18, 2025• 0 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Security analysis is a critical part in any cryptographic protocol, may it be classical or quantum. Without security analysis, one cannot ensure the secrecy of the distributed keys. To perform a conclusive security analysis, it is very often necessary to frame the problem as an optimization problem. However, solving such optimization problems is quite challenging. In this article, we focus on the security analysis of device-independent quantum key distribution (DIQKD) with random key basis protocol. We show that the optimization cost of the existing security analysis can be reduced without compromising the key rate. In particular, we reframe the entire security analysis of this protocol as a strongly convex optimization problem and demonstrate that unlike the original security proof, optimization of Bob's measurement angles for finding a lower bound on Eve's uncertainty about Alice's key generation basis can be done with lesser cost. We derive an explicit form of the pessimistic error that arises while optimizing the measurement angles of both the parties. We also clarify a few parts of the original security proof, making the analysis more rigorous and complete.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2508.12938

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Security analysis is a critical part in any cryptographic protocol, may it be classical or quantum. Without security analysis, one cannot ensure the secrecy of the distributed keys. To perform a conclusive security analysis, it is very often necessary to frame the problem as an optimization problem. However, solving such optimization problems is quite challenging. In this article, we focus on the security analysis of device-independent quantum key distribution (DIQKD) with random key basis protocol. We show that the optimization cost of the existing security analysis can be reduced without compromising the key rate. In particular, we reframe the entire security analysis of this protocol as a strongly convex optimization problem and demonstrate that unlike the original security proof, optimization of Bob's measurement angles for finding a lower bound on Eve's uncertainty about Alice's key generation basis can be done with lesser cost. We derive an explicit form of the pessimistic error that arises while optimizing the measurement angles of both the parties. We also clarify a few parts of the original security proof, making the analysis more rigorous and complete.
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Device-independent quantum key distribution (DIQKD) aims to achieve secure key distribution with only minimal assumptions, by basing its security on the violation of Bell inequalities. While this offers strong security guarantees, it comes at the cost of being challenging to implement experimentally. In this thesis, we present security proofs for several techniques that help to improve the keyrates and noise tolerance of DIQKD, such as noisy preprocessing, random key measurements, and advantage distillation. We also show finite-size security proofs for some protocols based on combining several of these techniques. These results and proof techniques should be useful for further development of DIQKD protocols.
Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a provably secure way for two distant parties to establish a common secret key, which then can be used in a classical cryptographic scheme. Using quantum entanglement, one can reduce the necessary assumptions that the parties have to make about their devices, giving rise to device-independent QKD (DIQKD). However, in all existing protocols to date the parties need to have an initial (at least partially) random seed as a resource. In this work, we show that this requirement can be dropped. Using recent advances in the fields of randomness amplification and randomness expansion, we demonstrate that it is sufficient for the message the parties want to communicate to be (partially) unknown to the adversaries---an assumption without which any type of cryptography would be pointless to begin with. One party can use her secret message to locally generate a secret sequence of bits, which can then be openly used by herself and the other party in a DIQKD protocol. Hence our work reduces the requirements needed to perform secure DIQKD and establish safe communication.
Abstract Device-independent quantum key distribution (DIQKD) is the art of using untrusted devices to distribute secret keys in an insecure network. It thus represents the ultimate form of cryptography, offering not only information-theoretic security against channel attacks, but also against attacks exploiting implementation loopholes. In recent years, much progress has been made towards realising the first DIQKD experiments, but current proposals are just out of reach of today’s loophole-free Bell experiments. Here, we significantly narrow the gap between the theory and practice of DIQKD with a simple variant of the original protocol based on the celebrated Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt (CHSH) Bell inequality. By using two randomly chosen key generating bases instead of one, we show that our protocol significantly improves over the original DIQKD protocol, enabling positive keys in the high noise regime for the first time. We also compute the finite-key security of the protocol for general attacks, showing that approximately 10 8 –10 10 measurement rounds are needed to achieve positive rates using state-of-the-art experimental parameters. Our proposed DIQKD protocol thus represents a highly promising path towards the first realisation of DIQKD in practice.
Abstract Device-independent quantum key distribution (DIQKD) is the art of using untrusted devices to distribute secret keys in an insecure network. It thus represents the ultimate form of cryptography, offering not only information-theoretic security against channel attacks, but also against attacks exploiting implementation loopholes. In recent years, much progress has been made towards realising the first DIQKD experiments, but current proposals are just out of reach of today’s loophole-free Bell experiments. Here, we significantly narrow the gap between the theory and practice of DIQKD with a simple variant of the original protocol based on the celebrated Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt (CHSH) Bell inequality. By using two randomly chosen key generating bases instead of one, we show that our protocol significantly improves over the original DIQKD protocol, enabling positive keys in the high noise regime for the first time. We also compute the finite-key security of the protocol for general attacks, showing that approximately 108–1010 measurement rounds are needed to achieve positive rates using state-of-the-art experimental parameters. Our proposed DIQKD protocol thus represents a highly promising path towards the first realisation of DIQKD in practice.
A symmetric device-independent quantum key distribution (DIQKD) protocol is proposed in this paper, with Holevo limit and subadditivity of von Neumann entropy, one can bound Eve's ability with collective attack. Together with symmetry of this protocol, the state Eve prepared for Alice and Bob, and at the same time, her eavesdropping on Alice's and Bob's measurements can be definitely inferred at the assumption that Eve aims at maximizing her information gain. The optimal state under this circumstance can be solely bounded with Alice and Bob's statistical results on the quantity of Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt (CHSH) polynomial SSS, that is, our symmetric DIQKD has the same secure basis as that of Ekert91 protocol.