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IEEE Security & Privacy

Quantum Key Distribution and Its Applications

Masahide Sasaki

Published Sep 1, 2018• 55 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Quantum key distribution (QKD) provides a means to share a secret key between two distant parties securely against an eavesdropper with unlimited computational ability. QKD networks are now deployed in metropolitan areas, and continental-scale QKD networks have been constructed. This article gives an overview of the recent status of QKD.
DOI
10.1109/msp.2018.3761713

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Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), a secret key agreement primitive, makes possible long-awaited real-world Information-Theoretical Security (ITS). In the last twenty years, the development of QKD-based networks that deliver ITS keys to distant parties has been a focus of the academic and industry sectors. Several key-delivery specifications have been developed for the practical delivery of keys to end applications. In this paper, we discuss key-delivery specifications with a focus on security and authentication.
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Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) networks have emerged the revolutionary technology in ensuring secure communication in the digital age. By utilizing the principles of quantum mechanics, QKD allows two parties to establish a secret key securely, which can subsequently be used for encrypting and decrypting sensitive information. While QKD holds immense promise for enhancing cybersecurity, it also presents several challenges that necessitate further research to achieve its full potential. The research presented here examines the development of QKD networks, their real-world use, as well as the general QKD network architecture and the most recent advancements in QKD network deployments.
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.
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) networks have emerged as a revolutionary technology in ensuring secure communication in the digital age. By leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics, QKD allows two parties to establish a secret key securely, which can subsequently be used for encrypting and decrypting sensitive information. While QKD holds immense promise for enhancing cybersecurity, it also presents several challenges that necessitate further research to achieve its full potential. The research presented here examines the development of QKD networks, their real-world use, as well as the general QKD network architecture and the most recent advancements in QKD network deployments.
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.