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Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC)

Cracking quantum cryptography

Vadim Makarov

Published May 1, 2011• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a technique to securely grow a shared secret key between two remote parties. Commercial implementations of QKD are available since 2005 and are used to secure network traffic (Fig. 1). QKD is proven unconditionally secure based on the laws of quantum physics. However, security proofs necessarily assume an idealized model of equipment. Numerous discrepancies between the model and actual hardware have been found, leading to loopholes that can be used to eavesdrop the secret key.

DOI
10.1109/cleoe.2011.5943438

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Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a technique to securely grow a shared secret key between two remote parties. Commercial implementations of QKD are available since 2005 and are used to secure network traffic (Fig. 1). QKD is proven unconditionally secure based on the laws of quantum physics. However, security proofs necessarily assume an idealized model of equipment. Numerous discrepancies between the model and actual hardware have been found, leading to loopholes that can be used to eavesdrop the secret key.
Since it was noted that quantum computers could break public key cryptosystems based on number theory, extensive studies have been undertaken on Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). QKD or Quantum Cryptography solves the key distribution problem by allowing the exchange of a cryptographic key between two remote parties with absolute security, guaranteed by the laws of physics. Actually, the progress of research in this field allows the implementation of Quantum Cryptography outside of laboratories. Efforts are made to exploit this technology in the existing communication networks and to improve the performance and reliability of the implemented technologies. The cryptosystems based on QKD are very promising and also the technology is improving more and more to fulfill requirements. In this paper, we provide a state-of-the-art of practical Quantum Cryptography by exposing the popular works and projects on QKD implementation.
In contrast to classical public-key cryptosystems, where the security of encoded messages relies on on computational assumptions, Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) enables two distant parties to establish a shared secret key that, when combined with a one-time pad, provides information-theoretically secure encryption, provided that the QKD protocol is supported by a rigorous security proof. In the last decades, security proofs robust against a wide range of eavesdropping strategies have established the theoretical soundness of several QKD protocols. However, most proofs are based on idealized models of the physical systems involved in such protocols and often include assumptions that are not satisfied in practical implementations. This mismatch creates a gap between theoretical security guarantees and actual experimental realizations, making QKD protocols vulnerable to attacks. To ensure the security of real-world QKD systems, it is therefore essential to account for imperfections in security analyses. In this article, we present an overview of recent analytical and numerical developments in QKD security proofs, which provide a versatile approach for incorporating imperfections and re-establishing the security of quantum communication protocols under realistic conditions.
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) provides promising secure communication, the crucial need for online security in Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). QKD is mainly used for distribution of keys securely between two parties and is a commercially available application of Quantum Cryptography (QC). QKD has the ability to enable the authenticated users to detect unwanted attempts by the intruder in trying to gain knowledge of the secret key. Through the fundamental nature of quantum mechanics, in Principle QKD has the distinction of being, unshakable. Quantum cryptography harnesses the counterintuitive behavior of elementary particles such as photons and ensures the confidentiality of information transmitted between two parties. There are many QKD protocols that provide a secure key which include BB84 protocol, BB92 protocol, SARG04 protocol, E91 protocol, COW protocol, DPS protocol ect. In this review the trends and challenges in Quantum Key Distribution is discussed. Also the contribution of QKD towards network security is presented by analyzing its strengths and weakness.
This chapter describes quantum cryptography. Quantum cryptography is one of the most successful applications of quantum optics and quantum information theory. The key technology of quantum cryptography is quantum key distribution (QKD), which can distribute secret keys that are unbreakable by any computational means or physical eavesdropping attacks. The chapter starts with a brief overview of the current cryptographies and their potential threats, then describes the security and basic operation principles of quantum cryptography. We will also see that quantum cryptography has already been deployed into the field testbed, and proof-of-concept demonstrations of its applications will soon be available in practical use.
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.
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) which is the name of cryptography in quantum environment act as the highest developed area in quantum communication and computing technology (QCIT). \n \nQKD is inventive technology which utilize the laws of quantum to create a cryptographic share key to make the communication system secure. The unique feature of QKD assures eavesdropping detectable during quantum communications which is fascinating for a high-level secure environment.Most of the traditional cryptographic methods which we use currently are based on mathematical scheme or Computational complexity theory which are not completely safe. Using quantum cryptography has been achieved extensive steps in communication security establishment. As the information Unit has been changed from “bit” to Quantum bit (Qubit), a new element has been offered that can guarantee the shared information confidentiality between parties. The confidentiality of system is established via exchanging a secret key through a channel of quantum, the key which we use for encrypting the shared data. This structure has quantum integration which has been developed by physics law and techniques of cryptography. \n \nThis thesis has proposed a modified version of QKD protocol, this new protocol will generate a cryptographic share key for a more efficient, lower cost and secure communication between two parties (sender and Receiver). This new protocol principal is similar to BBM92, but the source of photon moved to sender instead of third-party photon generator, following steps will be executed in this Experiment: \n \n•\tObserve different categories protocols of QKD in details \n•\tThe Quantum Mechanics Visualisation Project (QuVis) is the simulation software that has been used for implementing the proposed protocol [BB84 with spin] among the other three (BBM92, B92 and BB84). \n•\tProbability ratio of error will be tested and compared for all protocols, for this experiment 100 to 5000 photons will be sent. \n \nBy Analysing collected data in this experiment, it will be determined which one of this four protocols lead the detecting of eavesdropping. Simulation software accomplishes the value of error key probability which receiver can use and should not pass over the range limit of 0.25 & 0.5.