TY - GEN
T1 - On the security of interferometric quantum key distribution
AU - Gelles, Ran
AU - Mor, Tal
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Photonic quantum key distribution (QKD) is commonly implemented using interferometers, devices that inherently cause the addition of vacuum ancillas, thus enlarging the quantum space in use. This enlargement sometimes exposes the implemented protocol to new kinds of attacks that have not yet been analyzed. We consider several QKD implementations that use interferometers, and analyze the enlargement of the quantum space caused by the interferometers. While we show that some interferometric implementations are robust (against simple attacks), our main finding is that several other implementations used in QKD experiments are totally insecure. This result is somewhat surprising since although we assume ideal devices and an underlying protocol which is proven secure (e.g., the Bennett-Brassard QKD), the realization is insecure. Our novel attack demonstrates the risks of using practical realizations without performing an extensive security analysis of the specific setup in use.
AB - Photonic quantum key distribution (QKD) is commonly implemented using interferometers, devices that inherently cause the addition of vacuum ancillas, thus enlarging the quantum space in use. This enlargement sometimes exposes the implemented protocol to new kinds of attacks that have not yet been analyzed. We consider several QKD implementations that use interferometers, and analyze the enlargement of the quantum space caused by the interferometers. While we show that some interferometric implementations are robust (against simple attacks), our main finding is that several other implementations used in QKD experiments are totally insecure. This result is somewhat surprising since although we assume ideal devices and an underlying protocol which is proven secure (e.g., the Bennett-Brassard QKD), the realization is insecure. Our novel attack demonstrates the risks of using practical realizations without performing an extensive security analysis of the specific setup in use.
KW - Implementation loopholes
KW - Quantum Cryptography
KW - Quantum Key Distribution
KW - Security
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84868251417&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/978-3-642-33860-1_12
DO - 10.1007/978-3-642-33860-1_12
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AN - SCOPUS:84868251417
SN - 9783642338595
T3 - Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
SP - 133
EP - 146
BT - Theory and Practice of Natural Computing - First International Conference, TPNC 2012, Proceedings
T2 - 1st International Conference on the Theory and Practice of Natural Computing, TPNC 2012
Y2 - 2 October 2010 through 4 October 2010
ER -