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Secure Storage For Identification Using Fully Quantum PUF
Kumar Nilesh, Christian Deppe, Marc Geitz, Holger Boche
Abstract
We present an information-theoretic framework for secure storage and message identification utilizing fully quantum physically unclonable functions (QPUFs). Extending prior models rooted in classical and hybrid classical-quantum PUFs, we propose a fully quantum setting that enables robust identification protocols in the presence of a powerful quantum wiretapper holding correlated side information. We derive achievable second-order identification rates under stringent privacy leakage constraints and show that secure identification is feasible whenever a positive secret key rate can be extracted from the QPUF output—establishing a quantum analogue of the classical dichotomy theorem. Furthermore, we demonstrate that augmenting the system with an auxiliary public quantum source enhances identification capacity without increasing privacy leakage. Our results provide a rigorous theoretical foundation for quantum-secure identification and storage, with implications for next-generation communication systems and adversarial environments requiring low-latency, energy-efficient quantum-secure storage protocols.