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Photonics & Electromagnetics Research Symposium (PIERS)

Practical Source Security of On-chip Continuous Variable Measurement Device Independent Quantum Key Distribution

Lang Li, Tao Wang, Peng Huang, Yuehan Xu, Xu Liu, Huanxi Zhao, Guihua Zeng

Published Apr 21, 2024• 4 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In the evolving field of Continuous Variable Quantum Key Distribution (CV-QKD), notable for its synergistic potential with existing optical communication infrastructures, a high channel capacity, and an anticipated surge in secret rates, the Measurement Device Independent (MDI) framework stands as a bulwark against side-channel vulnerabilities at the measurement juncture [1] –[4]. Recent years have witnessed quantum photonics technology leapfrogging into a realm that promises the realization of fully integrated CV-MDI-QKD transmitter terminals, a cornerstone for large-scale CV-MDI-QKD networks. However, integrating high-efficiency on-chip light sources while effectively navigating the treacherous waters of practical security challenges remains a formidable task [5], [6]. This study is pioneering in its focus on the practical security intricacies stemming from imperfections in on-chip light sources within CV-MDI-QKD systems. We propose defense mechanisms tailored to shield against the risks associated with source defects, thereby laying a robust foundation for secure, reliable on-chip CV-MDI-QKD transmission terminals. This advancement is a critical enabler for the widespread adoption of CV-MDI-QKD, signaling a paradigm shift in secure communications.

DOI
10.1109/piers62282.2024.10618180

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In the evolving field of Continuous Variable Quantum Key Distribution (CV-QKD), notable for its synergistic potential with existing optical communication infrastructures, a high channel capacity, and an anticipated surge in secret rates, the Measurement Device Independent (MDI) framework stands as a bulwark against side-channel vulnerabilities at the measurement juncture [1] –[4]. Recent years have witnessed quantum photonics technology leapfrogging into a realm that promises the realization of fully integrated CV-MDI-QKD transmitter terminals, a cornerstone for large-scale CV-MDI-QKD networks. However, integrating high-efficiency on-chip light sources while effectively navigating the treacherous waters of practical security challenges remains a formidable task [5], [6]. This study is pioneering in its focus on the practical security intricacies stemming from imperfections in on-chip light sources within CV-MDI-QKD systems. We propose defense mechanisms tailored to shield against the risks associated with source defects, thereby laying a robust foundation for secure, reliable on-chip CV-MDI-QKD transmission terminals. This advancement is a critical enabler for the widespread adoption of CV-MDI-QKD, signaling a paradigm shift in secure communications.
Continuous-variable measurement-independent-device quantum key distribution (CV-MDI-QKD) can offer high secure key rate at metropolitan distance and remove all side channel loopholes of detection as well. However, there is no in-field experimental demonstration of CV-MDI-QKD due to the remote distance phase-locking techniques challenge. Here, we present a new optical scheme to overcome this difficulty and also removes the requirement of two identical independent lasers. Furthermore, we give an alternate but detailed proof of the minimized key rate condition to extract the secure key rate. We anticipate that our new scheme can be used to demonstrate the in-field CV-MDI-QKD experiment and build the CV-MDI-QKD network with untrusted source.
Continuous-variable measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (CV-MDI QKD) can defend all detection-side attacks effectively. Therefore, the source side is the final battlefield for performing quantum hacking attacks. This paper investigates the practical security of a CV-MDI QKD system under a light-injection attack. Here, we first describe two different light-injection attacks, i.e., the induced-photorefractive attack and the strong-power injection attack. Then, we consider three attack cases where Eve only attacks one of the parties or both parties of the CV-MDI QKD system. Based on the analysis of the parameter estimation, we find that the legitimate communication parties will overestimate the secret key rate of the system under the effect of a light-injection attack. This opens a security loophole for Eve to successfully obtain secret key information in a practical CV-MDI QKD system. In particular, compared to the laser-damage attack, the above attacks use a lower power of injected light and have a more serious effect on the security of the system. To eliminate the above effects, we can enhance the practical security of the system by doping the lithium niobate material with various impurities or by using protective devices, such as optical isolators, circulators, optical power limiters, and narrow-band filters. Apart from these, we can also use an intensity monitor or a photodetector to detect the light-injection attack.
Continuous-variable measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (CV-MDI QKD) can fundamentally defend all attacks on the measurement devices. Consequently, higher requirements are put forward for the source of a CV-MDI QKD system. However, the imperfections of the actual source brings practical security risks to the CV-MDI QKD system. Therefore, the characteristics of the realistic source must be controlled in real time to guarantee the practical security of the CV-MDI QKD system. Here we propose a countermeasure for negative impact introduced by the actual source in the CV-MDI QKD system based on the one-time-calibration method, not only eliminating the loophole induced from the relative intensity noise (RIN), which is part of the source noise, but also modeling the source noise thus improves the performance. In particular, three cases in terms of whether the preparation noise of the practical sources are defined or not, where only one of the users or both of the two users operate monitoring on their respective source outputs, are investigated. The simulation results show that the estimated secret key rate without our proposed scheme is about 10.7 times higher than the realistic rate at 18 km transmission distance when the variance of RIN is only 0.4. What is worse, the difference becomes greater and greater with the increase of the variance of RIN. Thus, our proposed scheme makes sense in further completing the practical security of the CV-MDI QKD system. In other words, our work enables the CV-MDI QKD system not only to resist all attacks against detectors, but also to close the vulnerability caused by the actual source, thus making the scheme closer to practical security.
We propose a continuous-variable measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (CV-MDI QKD) protocol, in which detection is conducted by an untrusted third party. Our protocol can defend all detector side channels, which seriously threaten the security of a practical CV QKD system. Its security analysis against arbitrary collective attacks is derived based on the fact that the entanglement-based scheme of CV-MDI QKD is equivalent to the conventional CV QKD with coherent states and heterodyne detection. We find that the maximal total transmission distance is achieved by setting the untrusted third party close to one of the legitimate users. Furthermore, an alternate detection scheme, a special application of CV-MDI QKD, is proposed to enhance the security of the standard CV QKD system.
Continuous-variable (CV) measurement-device-independent (MDI) quantum key distribution (QKD) can remove the feasible side-channel attacks on detectors based on the accurate Bell-state measurement (BSM), where an optical amplitude modulator (AM) plays a crucial role in managing the intensity of the transmitted light pulse. However, the AM-involved practical security has remained elusive as the operating frequency of the AM usually determines the actual secret key rate of the CV-MDI-QKD system. We find that an imperfect pulse generated from the AM at high speed can lead to a challenge to the practical security as a minor intensity change of the light pulse can bring about a potential information leakage. Taking advantage of this flaw, we suggest an attack strategy targeting the embedded AM in CV-MDI-QKD without sending the local oscillator (LO). This attack can damage the AM and thus decrease the estimated secret key rate of the system even when the orthogonal local LO (LLO) scheme is carried out. To assess the practical security risk resulting from the leaked information from the AM, we conduct numerical simulations to demonstrate the influence of the AM on the CVMDI-QKD system.
Continuous-variable measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (CV-MDI-QKD) is immune to all detector side channel attacks, however its security requires trusted sources. We investigate the effects of source intensity errors, the most crucial source error, on the security of CV-MDI-QKD protocol with Gaussian-modulated coherent states. We establish a general source intensity errors model and derive the secret key rate based on different assumptions on the abilities of legal parties Alice and Bob. To avoid the adverse effects of the sources' intensity errors on CV-MDI-QKD, we present different data-processing schemes. We also assess the security of the protocol against collective Gaussian attacks in the finite-size scenario with composable security. Taking source intensity errors into consideration, we achieve improved security compared to previous demonstrations. Our results will provide a useful reference for practical implementations of CV-MDI-QKD.