On Information-theoretically Secure Authentication in Quantum Networks

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) enables Information-Theoretically Secure (ITS) key exchange, robust even against future quantum computing threats. However, a fundamental limitation of QKD is the requirement for an authenticated classical channel, which necessitates a pre-shared secret key. In this work, we address this challenge by adopting a Hybrid Entangled Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) protocol for authentication. We demonstrate that this PUF-based method generates an ITS initial key under minimal explicit hardware assumptions. This approach allows us to experimentally perform a fully ITS-authenticated entanglement-based QKD protocol that relies solely on such assumptions, effectively eliminating the need for pre-shared secrets. This represents a significant step towards the practical realization of quantum network protocols using lightweight, readily available hardware assumptions, without weakening security guarantees.Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) enables Information-Theoretically Secure (ITS) key exchange, robust even against future quantum computing threats. However, a fundamental limitation of QKD is the requirement for an authenticated classical channel, which necessitates a pre-shared secret key. In this work, we address this challenge by adopting a Hybrid Entangled Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) protocol for authentication. We demonstrate that this PUF-based method generates an ITS initial key under minimal explicit hardware assumptions. This approach allows us to experimentally perform a fully ITS-authenticated entanglement-based QKD protocol that relies solely on such assumptions, effectively eliminating the need for pre-shared secrets. This represents a significant step towards the practical realization of quantum network protocols using lightweight, readily available hardware assumptions, without weakening security guarantees.

quant-pharXiv:2605.04650Physical Review ResearchMay 7, 20260 citations

On the security of quantum networks: a proposal framework and its capacity

Quoc‐Cuong Le, Patrick Bellot, Akim Demaille

New Technologies, Mobility and SecurityNov 12, 200710 citations

On the classical authentication in Quantum Key Distribution

Edoardo Signorini, Guglielmo Morgari, Francesco Stocco

Jan 1, 20230 citations

An Information-Theoretic Secure Group Authentication Scheme for Quantum Key Distribution Networks

Yi Luo, Haokun Mao, Qiong Li +1 more

Information-theoretic secure (ITS) authentication is an essential part of a quantum key distribution (QKD) system. In the QKD network, the authentication scheme based on the ITS QKD keys pre-shared by the QKD system. However, such a scheme is subject to the limitation that consumes a significant amount of authentication keys when the scale and communication requirements of QKD networks grow. To address the issue, we propose an ITS group authentication scheme for QKD networks that consumes considerably fewer keys. In our scheme, multiple QKD network nodes collaborate and complete the authentication as a group. Compared to the pre-shared keys authentication scheme, our scheme reduces the complexity of authentication key consumption from$O\left ({N^{2}d }\right) $to$ O\left ({N }\right) $, where$ N $is the number of nodes and$ d $is the average path length of the network topology. The security of the proposed scheme is analyzed in detail and simulation experiments are conducted to demonstrate our scheme’s effectiveness for varying networks scales and communication requirements.Information-theoretic secure (ITS) authentication is an essential part of a quantum key distribution (QKD) system. In the QKD network, the authentication scheme based on the ITS QKD keys pre-shared by the QKD system. However, such a scheme is subject to the limitation that consumes a significant amount of authentication keys when the scale and communication requirements of QKD networks grow. To address the issue, we propose an ITS group authentication scheme for QKD networks that consumes considerably fewer keys. In our scheme, multiple QKD network nodes collaborate and complete the authentication as a group. Compared to the pre-shared keys authentication scheme, our scheme reduces the complexity of authentication key consumption from$O\left ({N^{2}d }\right) $to$O\left ({N }\right) $, where$N $is the number of nodes and$d $is the average path length of the network topology. The security of the proposed scheme is analyzed in detail and simulation experiments are conducted to demonstrate our scheme’s effectiveness for varying networks scales and communication requirements.

IEEE Transactions on CommunicationsMay 29, 202316 citations

Long-Term Secure Distributed Storage Using Quantum Key Distribution Network With Third-Party Verification

Mikio Fujiwara, Ryo Nojima, Toyohiro Tsurumaru +3 more

The quantum key distribution (QKD) network with Vernam's one-time pad encryption and secret sharing are powerful security tools to realize an information theoretically secure (ITS) distributed storage system. In the work of Fujiwaraet al., a single-password-authenticated secret sharing (SPSS) scheme based on the QKD network and Shamirs secret sharing was experimentally demonstrated; it confirmed ITS data transmission, storage, authentication, and integrity. To achieve data integrity, an ITS message authentication code (MAC) tag is employed, and a data owner of the secret sharing performs both the MAC tag generation and verification. However, for a scenario in which the data owner and end users are different entities, the above approach may not work, since the data owner can cheat the end users. In this article, we resolve this problem by proposing an ITS integrity protection scheme employing a third-party verification with time-stamp. The ITS integrity protection is realized by two steps: integrity check by the data owner at data reconstruction and data integrity certification by the data owner, the end user, and the third-party verifier using a MAC based on universal2hash function and random number provided from the QKD network. In addition to introducing the third-party verifier, we institute “a trusted calculator,” which computes shares of the data and MAC tags and sends MAC tags to the third-party verifier. The random number used in calculation is stored in the trusted calculator. We implement this scheme on the SPSS system installed in the Tokyo QKD Network.The quantum key distribution (QKD) network with Vernam's one-time pad encryption and secret sharing are powerful security tools to realize an information theoretically secure (ITS) distributed storage system. In the work of Fujiwaraet al., a single-password-authenticated secret sharing (SPSS) scheme based on the QKD network and Shamirs secret sharing was experimentally demonstrated; it confirmed ITS data transmission, storage, authentication, and integrity. To achieve data integrity, an ITS message authentication code (MAC) tag is employed, and a data owner of the secret sharing performs both the MAC tag generation and verification. However, for a scenario in which the data owner and end users are different entities, the above approach may not work, since the data owner can cheat the end users. In this article, we resolve this problem by proposing an ITS integrity protection scheme employing a third-party verification with time-stamp. The ITS integrity protection is realized by two steps: integrity check by the data owner at data reconstruction and data integrity certification by the data owner, the end user, and the third-party verifier using a MAC based on universal2hash function and random number provided from the QKD network. In addition to introducing the third-party verifier, we institute “a trusted calculator,” which computes shares of the data and MAC tags and sends MAC tags to the third-party verifier. The random number used in calculation is stored in the trusted calculator. We implement this scheme on the SPSS system installed in the Tokyo QKD Network.

arXiv:2112.12292IEEE Transactions on Quantum EngineeringDec 14, 202115 citations

Scalable authentication in a quantum network

Naomi R. Solomons, Siddarth Koduru Joshi

Nov 24, 20200 citations

to

O\left ({N }\right)

, where

is the number of nodes and

d $is the average path length of the network topology. The security of the proposed scheme is analyzed in detail and simulation experiments are conducted to demonstrate our scheme’s effectiveness for varying networks scales and communication requirements.