Lightweight authentication for quantum key distribution (original) (raw)

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Commodity Security Protocols: Introduction and Integration

We present an overview of quantum key distribution (QKD), a secure key exchange method based on the quantum laws of physics rather than computational complexity. We also provide an overview of the two most widely used commodity security protocols, IPsec and TLS. Pursuing a key exchange model, we propose how QKD could be integrated into these security applications. For such a QKD integration we propose a support layer that provides a set of common QKD services between the QKD protocol and the security applications.

Quantum Key Distribution Protocols: A Survey

Most cryptographic mechanisms, such as symmetric and asymmetric cryptography, often involve the use of cryptographic keys. However, all cryptographic techniques will be ineffective if the key distribution mechanism is weak. The security of most modern cryptographic systems of key distribution mechanism is based on computational complexity and the extraordinary time needed to break the code. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) or Quantum Cryptography is attracting much attention as a solution of the problem of key distribution; QKD offers unconditionally secure communication based on quantum mechanics. In this article we survey the most popular QKD protocols. Also, we give a short state of the art of Quantum Cryptography.

Secure quantum key distribution

Nature Photonics, 2014

Secure communication plays a crucial role in the Internet Age. Quantum mechanics may revolutionise cryptography as we know it today. In this Review Article, we introduce the motivation and the current state of the art of research in quantum cryptography. In particular, we discuss the present security model together with its assumptions, strengths and weaknesses. After a brief introduction to recent experimental progress and challenges, we survey the latest developments in quantum hacking and countermeasures against it. With the rise of the Internet, the importance of cryptography is growing every day. Each time we make an on-line purchase with our credit cards, or we conduct financial transactions using Internet banking, we should be concerned with secure communication. Unfortunately, the security of conventional cryptography is often based on computational assumptions. For instance, the security of the RSA scheme [1], the most widely used public-key encryption scheme, is based on the presumed hardness of factoring. Consequently, conventional cryptography is vulnerable to unanticipated advances in hardware and algorithms, as well as to quantum code-breaking such as Shor's efficient algorithm [2] for factoring. Government and trade secrets are kept for decades. An eavesdropper, Eve, may simply save communications sent in 2014 and wait for technological advances. If she is able to factorise large integers in say 2100, she could retroactively break the security of data sent in 2014. In contrast, quantum key distribution (QKD), the best-known application of quantum cryptography, promises to achieve the Holy Grail of cryptographyunconditional security in communication. By unconditional security or, more precisely,-security, as it will be explained shortly (see section discussing the security model of QKD), Eve is not restricted by computational assumptions but she is only limited by the laws of physics. QKD is a remarkable solution to long-term security since, in principle, it offers security for eternity. Unlike conventional cryptography, which allows Eve to store a classical transcript of communications, in QKD, once a quantum transmission is done, there is no classical transcript for Eve to store. See Box 1 for background information on secure communication and QKD. Box 1 | Secure communication and QKD. Secure Communication: Suppose a sender, Alice, would like to send a secret message to a receiver, Bob, through an open communication channel. Encryption is needed. If they share a common string of secret bits, called a key, Alice can use her key to transform a plain-text into a cipher-text, which is unintelligible to Eve. In contrast, Bob, with his key, can decrypt the cipher-text and recover the plain-text. In cryptography, the security of a crypto-system should rely solely on the secrecy of the key. The question is: how to distribute a key securely? In conventional cryptography, this is often done by trusted couriers. Unfortunately, in classical physics, couriers may be brided or compromised without the users noticing it. This motivates the development of quantum key distribution (QKD). Quantum Key Distribution: The best-known QKD protocol (BB84) was published by Bennett and Brassard in 1984 [3]. Alice sends Bob a sequence of photons prepared in different polarisation states, which are chosen at random from two conjugate bases. For each photon, Bob selects randomly one of the two conjugate bases and performs a measurement. He records the outcome of his measurement and the basis choice. Through an authenticated channel, Alice and Bob broadcast their measurement bases. They discard all polarisation data sent and received in different bases and use the remaining data to generate a sifted key. To test for tampering they compute the quantum bit error rate (QBER) of a randomly selected subset of data and verify that the QBER is below a certain threshold value. By applying classical post-processing protocols such as error correction and privacy amplification, they generate a secure key. This key can be used to make the communication unconditionally secure by using a one-time-pad protocol [4].

Quantum Authenticated Key Distribution

Unconventional Computing, 2007

Quantum key distribution algorithms use a quantum communication channel with quantum information and a classical communication channel for binary information. The classical channel, in all algorithms to date, was required to be authenticated. Moreover, Lomo- naco [8] claimed that authentication is not possible using only quantum means. This paper reverses this claim. We design an algorithm for quantum key distribution

Third-Party Authentication Using Quantum Key Distribution Protocols

By using quantum motorized systems, Quantum key distribution (QKD) promises safe key conformity. For the opportunity cryptographic infrastructures, we argue that QKD will be an important part. Without reliance on computational assumptions QKD can give long-term discretion in favor of encrypted in cycle. QKD can make use of each information-theoretically confined symmetric key verification or computationally make safe public key confirmation, it still requires validation to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks; we argue that QKD still offers stronger refuge than classical key concurrence even when it uses public key certification. Secure group announcement could began speedily by Dynamic peer group. By establishing a collaborative assembly key for a disseminated dynamic peer group that provides a elementary understanding is the foremost aspect. The third party regarding the validation part were trusted by the Participants of the etiquette. The network systems which deal with highly sensitive in sequence, such as military, hospitals, research conveniences were preferred by the planned set of rules. In superposition states for authentication and key circulation which provides high security against many attacks were our protocol utilizes polarized photons.

A Survey on Quantum Key Distribution Protocols

Quantum cryptography is based on quantum mechanics to guarantee secure communication. It allows two parties to produce a shared random bit string known only to them. These random bits can be used as a key to encrypt and decrypt messages. The most important and unique property of quantum cryptography is the ability of the two communicating users to detect the presence of any third party trying to gain knowledge of the key. It is based on fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics. By using quantum entanglement or quantum super positions and transmitting information in quantum states, a communication system can be implemented which detects eavesdropping. Quantum cryptography is used to produce and distribute a key, not to transmit any message data. This key along with certain encryption algorithm, is used to encrypt (and decrypt) a message, which can then be transmitted over a standard communication channel. This paper concentrates on comparison between classical and quantum cryptograph...

Quantum Cryptography : The Concept and Challenges

— This Quantum cryptography is one of the emerging topics in the field of computer industry. This paper focus on quantum cryptography and how this technology contributes value to a defense-in-depth strategy pertaining to completely secure key distribution. The scope of this paper covers the technical challenges to implement the concepts of quantum cryptography. We describe the quantum key distribution by which two users who share no secret information (without having any private or public keys known before hand) initially exchange a random quantum transmission consisting of very faint flashes of polarized light. We are focusing on practical quantum key distribution, taking into account channel losses, a realistic detection process, and imperfections in the " qubits " sent from the sender to the receiver. As we show, even quantum key distribution with perfect qubits might not be achievable over long distances when the other imperfections are taken into account.

Enhancement of Quantum Key Distribution Protocol.

International Journal of Engineering Sciences & Research Technology, 2012

Primarily, we know Quantum cryptographic technique replaces classical cryptography and give a review on the first QKD protocol which secrecy is guaranteed by key transmission of classical cryptography solved. But we find that there are many vulnerabilities in existing model of Quantum key distribution protocol and this paper represents the propose protocol.

An enhanced quantum key distribution protocol for security authentication

Journal of Discrete Mathematical Sciences and Cryptography, 2019

Quantum Cryptography is revolutionary discovery in the field of network security. Quantum cryptography promises to provide sophisticated functionality for security issues but it also leads to unbelievable increment in computational parallelism which is helpful for potential cryptanalytic attacks. Some of the associated properties of Quantum Key Distribution protocol that provide security that is deficient for the shared key to be transmitted securely. The identity verification process attempts to maximize success in interpreting the EPR protocol for distribution of Quantum.