Classical key distribution can fulfill the goal of quantum key distribution

Norbert Lütkenhaus

Yasser Ali Alahmadi, Saleh Noman Alassali

Due to the rapid growth in technology, the development and use of cryptosystems has become plays an important role in networked and distributed applications. To get the benefits of such applications, the principals will cooperate by exchanging information over an open networks such as the internet. A key distribution protocol is an essential component of any cryptosystem to generation and sharing of cryptographic keys between the principals involved in the network securely. In the current days, there are a number of key distribution protocols that have been developed and implemented. However, the most of such protocols were found to be prone to several attacks a long time after deployment. In this paper, the key distribution protocol is designed to improve the Nomaskd protocol. The two protocols are analyzed and verified by a formal verification tool called Scyther, the verification results show that the Nomaskd protocol does not fulfill the strong authentication goals, whereas the improved protocol fulfill these goals.

Sneha Charjan, Dattatraya Kulkarni

Michel Boyer, Matty Katz, Rotem Liss +1 more

Quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols make it possible for two quantum parties to generate a secret shared key. Semiquantum key distribution (SQKD) protocols, such as ``QKD with classical Bob'' and ``QKD with classical Alice'' (that have both been proven robust), achieve this goal even if one of the parties is classical. However, existing SQKD protocols are not experimentally feasible with current technology. Here we suggest a protocol, ``Classical Alice with a controllable mirror,'' that can be experimentally implemented with current technology (using four-level systems instead of qubits), and we prove it to be robust.

Masahiro Takeoka

Muhammad Mubashir

Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a technique for solving the key distribution problem with information theoretic or unconditional security between two legitimate parties. There are many security proofs of quantum cryptographic systems and protocols with certain utopian assumptions. These assumptions are not easy to fulfill when QKD is deployed in practical networks. This paper is an outcome of our research to explore the critical constraints in practical QKD systems.