No Arabic abstract
Quantum key distribution (QKD) promises provably secure cryptography, even to attacks from an all-powerful adversary. However, with quantum computing development lagging behind QKD, the assumption that there exists an adversary equipped with a universal fault-tolerant quantum computer is unrealistic for at least the near future. Here, we explore the effect of restricting the eavesdroppers computational capabilities on the security of QKD, and find that improved secret key rates are possible. Specifically, we show that for a large class of discrete variable protocols higher key rates are possible if the eavesdropper is restricted to a unitary operation from the Clifford group. Further, we consider Clifford-random channels consisting of mixtures of Clifford gates. We numerically calculate a secret key rate lower bound for BB84 with this restriction, and show that in contrast to the case of a single restricted unitary attack, the mixture of Clifford based unitary attacks does not result in an improved key rate.
The ability of an eavesdropper (Eve) to perform an intercept-resend attack on a free-space quantum key distribution (QKD) receiver by precisely controlling the incidence angle of an attack laser has been previously demonstrated. However, such an attack could be ineffective in the presence of atmospheric turbulence due to beam wander and spatial mode aberrations induced by the airs varying index of refraction. We experimentally investigate the impact turbulence has on Eves attack on a free-space polarization-encoding QKD receiver by emulating atmospheric turbulence with a spatial light modulator. Our results identify how well Eve would need to compensate for turbulence to perform a successful attack by either reducing her distance to the receiver, or using beam wavefront correction via adaptive optics. Furthermore, we use an entanglement-breaking scheme to find a theoretical limit on the turbulence strength that hinders Eves attack.
This chapter describes the application of lasers, specifically diode lasers, in the area of quantum key distribution (QKD). First, we motivate the distribution of cryptographic keys based on quantum physical properties of light, give a brief introduction to QKD assuming the reader has no or very little knowledge about cryptography, and briefly present the state-of-the-art of QKD. In the second half of the chapter we describe, as an example of a real-world QKD system, the system deployed between the University of Calgary and SAIT Polytechnic. We conclude the chapter with a brief discussion of quantum networks and future steps.
A new scheme of Quantum Key Distribution is proposed using three entangled particles in a GHZ state. Alice holds a 3-particle source and sends two particles to Bob, keeping one with herself. Bob uses one particle to generate a secure key, and the other to generate a master-key. This scheme should prove to be harder to break in non-ideal situations as compared to the standard protocols BB84 and Eckert. The scheme uses the concept of Quantum Disentanglement Eraser. Extension to multi-partite scheme has also been investigated.
Global quantum communications will enable long-distance secure data transfer, networked distributed quantum information processing, and other entanglement-enabled technologies. Satellite quantum communication overcomes optical fibre range limitations, with the first realisations of satellite quantum key distribution (SatQKD) being rapidly developed. However, limited transmission times between satellite and ground station severely constrains the amount of secret key due to finite-block size effects. Here, we analyse these effects and the implications for system design and operation, utilising published results from the Micius satellite to construct an empirically-derived channel and system model for a trusted-node downlink employing efficient BB84 weak coherent pulse decoy states with optimised parameters. We quantify practical SatQKD performance limits and examine the effects of link efficiency, background light, source quality, and overpass geometries to estimate long-term key generation capacity. Our results may guide design and analysis of future missions, and establish performance benchmarks for both sources and detectors.
This paper proposes a new protocol for quantum dense key distribution. This protocol embeds the benefits of a quantum dense coding and a quantum key distribution and is able to generate shared secret keys four times more efficiently than BB84 one. We hereinafter prove the security of this scheme against individual eavesdropping attacks, and we present preliminary experimental results, showing its feasibility.