We consider the notion of canonical attacks, which are the cryptographic analog of the canonical forms of a one-mode Gaussian channel. Using this notion, we explore the connections between the degradability properties of the channel and its security for quantum key distribution. Finally, we also show some relations between canonical attacks and optimal Gaussian cloners.
A complete degradability analysis of one-mode Gaussian Bosonic channels is presented. We show that apart from the class of channels which are unitarily equivalent to the channels with additive classical noise, these maps can be characterized in terms of weak- and/or anti-degradability. Furthermore a new set of channels which have null quantum capacity is identified. This is done by exploiting the composition rules of one-mode Gaussian maps and the fact that anti-degradable channels can not be used to transfer quantum information.
We study the degradability of fermionic Gaussian channels. Fermionic quantum channels are a central building block of quantum information processing with fermions, and the family of Gaussian channels, in particular, is relevant in the emerging field of electron quantum optics and its applications for quantum information. Degradable channels are of particular interest since they have a simple formula that characterizes their quantum capacity. We derive a simple standard form for fermionic Gaussian channels. This allows us to fully characterize all degradable $n$-mode fermionic Gaussian channels…
The notion of weak-degradability of quantum channels is introduced by generalizing the degradability definition given by Devetak and Shor. Exploiting the unitary equivalence with beam-splitter/amplifier channels we then prove that a large class of one-mode Bosonic Gaussian channels are either weakly degradable or anti-degradable. In the latter case this implies that their quantum capacity Q is null. In the former case instead, this allows us to establish the additivity of the coherent information for those maps which admit unitary representation with single-mode pure environment.
Scuola Normale Superiore(比萨高等师范学院);NEST-CNR(国家研究委员会纳米科学与技术创新研究所);Inria(法国国家数字科学研究所);Institut Polytechnique de Paris(巴黎理工学院);Università di Bologna(博洛尼亚大学)
Two-way Gaussian protocols have the potential to increase quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols' secret-key rates by orders of magnitudes~[Phys.~Rev.~A {\bf 94}, 012322 (2016)]. Security proofs for two-way protocols, however, are underdeveloped at present. In this paper, we establish a security proof framework for the general coherent attack on two-way Gaussian protocols in the asymptotic regime. We first prove that coherent-attack security can be reduced to collective-attack security for all two-way QKD protocols. Next, we identify two different constraints that each provide intrusion para…
Recently, we have shown the advantages of two-way quantum communications in continuous variable quantum cryptography. Thanks to this new approach, two honest users can achieve a non-trivial security enhancement as long as the Gaussian interactions of an eavesdropper are independent and identical. In this work, we consider asymmetric strategies where the Gaussian interactions can be different and classically correlated. For several attacks of this kind, we prove that the enhancement of security still holds when the two-way protocols are used in direct reconciliation.
Establishing the security of continuous-variable quantum key distribution against general attacks in a realistic finite-size regime is an outstanding open problem in the field of theoretical quantum cryptography if we restrict our attention to protocols that rely on the exchange of coherent states. Indeed, techniques based on the uncertainty principle are not known to work for such protocols, and the usual tools based on de Finetti reductions only provide security for unrealistically large block lengths. We address this problem here by considering a new type of Gaussian de Finetti reduction, t…
Gaussian networks are fundamental objects in network information theory. Here many senders and receivers are connected by physically motivated Gaussian channels while auxiliary Gaussian components, such as Gaussian relays, are entailed. Whilst the theoretical backbone of classical Gaussian networks is well established, the quantum analogue is yet immature. Here, we theoretically tackle composable security of arbitrary Gaussian quantum networks (quantum networks), with generally untrusted nodes, in the finite-size regime. We put forward a general methodology for parameter estimation, which is o…
We investigate the performance of Gaussianmodulated coherent-state QKD protocols in the presence of canonical attacks, which are collective Gaussian attacks resulting in Gaussian channels described by one of the possible canonical forms. We present asymptotic key rates and then we extend the results to the finite-size regime using a recently-developed toolbox for composable security.
We investigate the security against collective attacks of a continuous variable quantum key distribution scheme in the asymptotic key limit for a realistic setting. The quantum channel connecting the two honest parties is assumed to be lossy and imposes Gaussian noise on the observed quadrature distributions. Secret key rates are given for direct and reverse reconciliation schemes including postselection in the collective attack scenario. The effect of a non-ideal error correction and two-way communication in the classical post-processing step is also taken into account.
A complete analysis of multi-mode bosonic Gaussian channels is proposed. We clarify the structure of unitary dilations of general Gaussian channels involving any number of bosonic modes and present a normal form. The maximum number of auxiliary modes that is needed is identified, including all rank deficient cases, and the specific role of additive classical noise is highlighted. By using this analysis, we derive a canonical matrix form of the noisy evolution of n-mode bosonic Gaussian channels and of their weak complementary counterparts, based on a recent generalization of the normal mode de…
Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics;Dahlem Center for Complex Quantum Systems, Freie Universität Berlin(柏林自由大学达勒姆复杂量子系统中心);Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC), University of Waterloo(滑铁卢大学量子计算研究所)
We investigate the composable security of unidimensional contin- uous variable quantum key distribution (UCVQKD), which is based on the Gaussian modulation of a single quadrature of the coherent-state of light, aiming to provide a simple implementation of key distribution compared to the symmetrically modulated Gaussian coherent-state protocols. This protocol neglects the necessity in one of the quadrature modulation in coherent-states and hence reduces the system complexity. To clarify the influence of finite-size effect and the cost of performance degeneration, we establish the relation- shi…
We study the impact of finite-size effects on the security of thermal one-way quantum cryptography. Our approach considers coherent/squeezed states at the preparation stage, on the top of which the sender adds trusted thermal noise. We compute the key rate incorporating finite-size effects, and we obtain the security threshold at different frequencies. As expected finite-size effects deteriorate the performance of thermal quantum cryptography. Our analysis is useful to quantify the impact of this degradation on relevant parameters like tolerable attenuation, transmission frequencies at which o…
Source noise affects the security of continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV QKD), and is diffcult to analyze. We propose a model to characterize Gaussian source noise through introducing a neutral party (Fred) who induces the noise with a general unitary transformation. Without knowing Fred's exact state, we derive the security bounds for both reverse and direct reconciliations and show that the bound for reverse reconciliation is tight.
We investigate the asymptotic security of one-way continuous variable quantum key distribution against Gaussian two-mode coherent attacks. The one-way protocol is implemented by arranging the channel uses in two-mode blocks. By applying symmetric random permutations over these blocks, the security analysis is in fact reduced to study two-mode coherent attacks and, in particular, Gaussian ones, due to the extremality of Gaussian states. We explicitly show that the use of two-mode Gaussian correlations by an eavesdropper leads to asymptotic secret key rates which are strictly larger than the rat…
We present here an information theoretic study of Gaussian collective attacks on the continuous variable key distribution protocols based on Gaussian modulation of coherent states. These attacks, overlooked in previous security studies, give a finite advantage to the eavesdropper in the experimentally relevant lossy channel, but are not powerful enough to reduce the range of the reverse reconciliation protocols. Secret key rates are given for the ideal case where Bob performs optimal collective measurements, as well as for the realistic cases where he performs homodyne or heterodyne measuremen…
Security bounds for unidimensional discrete-modulated CV-QKD: a Gaussian extremality approach
QuIIN - Quantum Industrial Innovation, EMBRAPII CIMATEC Competence Center in Quantum Technologies, SENAI CIMATEC(QuIIN - 量子工业创新,EMBRAPII CIMATEC 量子技术能力中心,SENAI CIMATEC);Instituto de Fı́sica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro(物理研究所,里约热内卢联邦大学);Department of Electrical and Photonics Engineering, Technical University of Denmark(电气与光子工程系,丹麦技术大学)
Quantum key distribution can be enhanced and extended if nonclassical single-photon states of light are used. We study a connection between the security of quantum key distribution and quantum non-Gaussianity of light arriving at the receiver's detection system after the propagation through a noisy quantum channel, being under full control of an eavesdropper performing general collective attacks. We show that while quantum nonclassicality exhibited by the light arriving at the receiver's station is a necessary indication of the security of the discrete-variable protocols, quantum non-Gaussiani…
We consider two-way continuous-variable quantum key distribution, studying its security against general eavesdropping strategies. Assuming the asymptotic limit of many signals exchanged, we prove that two-way Gaussian protocols are immune to coherent attacks. More precisely we show the general superadditivity of the two-way security thresholds, which are proven to be higher than the corresponding one-way counterparts in all cases. We perform the security analysis first reducing the general eavesdropping to a two-mode coherent Gaussian attack, and then showing that the superadditivity is achiev…
The security proof of continuous variable (CV) measurement device independent (MDI) quantum key distribution (QKD) cannot be reduced to the analysis of one-mode Gaussian attacks (in particular, independent entangling-cloner attacks). To stress this point, the present note provides a very simple (almost trivial) argument, showing that there are an infinite number of two-mode Gaussian attacks which cannot be reduced to or simulated by one-mode Gaussian attacks. This result further confirms that the security analysis of CV-MDI-QKD must involve a careful minimization over two-mode attacks as origi…
We present a rigorous security analysis of Continuous-Variable Measurement-Device Independent Quantum Key Distribution (CV MDI QKD) in a finite size scenario. The security proof is obtained in two steps: by first assessing the security against collective Gaussian attacks, and then extending to the most general class of coherent attacks via the Gaussian de Finetti reduction. Our result combines recent state-of-the-art security proofs for CV QKD with new findings about min-entropy calculus and parameter estimation. In doing so, we improve the finite-size estimate of the secret key rate. Our conc…
We establish several upper bounds on the energy-constrained quantum and private capacities of all single-mode phase-insensitive bosonic Gaussian channels. The first upper bound, which we call the "data-processing bound," is the simplest and is obtained by decomposing a phase-insensitive channel as a pure-loss channel followed by a quantum-limited amplifier channel. We prove that the data-processing bound can be at most 1.45 bits larger than a known lower bound on these capacities of the phase-insensitive Gaussian channel. We discuss another data-processing upper bound as well. Two other upper …
We extend the security proof for continuous variable quantum key distribution protocols using post selection to account for arbitrary eavesdropping attacks by employing the concept of an equivalent protocol where the post-selection is implemented as a series of quantum operations including a virtual distillation. We introduce a particular `Gaussian' post selection and demonstrate that the security can be calculated using only experimentally accessible quantities. Finally we explicitly evaluate the performance for the case of a noisy Gaussian channel in the limit of unbounded key length and fin…
We study the security of two-way quantum cryptography at different wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum, from the optical range down to the microwave range. In particular, we consider a two-way quantum communication protocol where Gaussian-modulated thermal states are subject to random Gaussian displacements and finally homodyned. We show how its security threshold (in reverse reconciliation) is extremely robust with respect to the preparation noise and able to outperform the security thresholds of one-way protocols at any wavelength. As a result, improved security distances are now acc…
We analyze the security against collective attacks for a homodyne-based continuous-variable quantum key distribution protocol using binary coherent states and postselection. We derive a lower bound of the secret key rate in an asymptotic scenario, and numerically optimize it for the case of a symmetric Gaussian channel.
We provide a simple description of the most general collective Gaussian attack in continuous-variable quantum cryptography. In the scenario of such general attacks, we analyze the asymptotic secret-key rates which are achievable with coherent states, joint measurements of the quadratures and one-way classical communication.
We consider the two-way quantum cryptographic protocol with coherent states assuming direct reconciliation. A detailed security analysis is performed considering a two-mode coherent attack, that represents the residual eavesdropping once the parties have reduced the general attack by applying symmetric random permutations. In this context we provide a general analytical expression for the keyrate, discussing the impact of the residual two-mode correlations on the security of the scheme. In particular we identify the optimal eavesdropping against two-way quantum communication, which is given by…
Asymmetry effects in homodyne and heterodyne measurements: Positive operator-valued measures and asymptotic security of Gaussian-continuous-variable quantum key distribution
ITMO University(伊托夫大学);Laboratory for Quantum Communications, ITMO University(伊托夫大学量子通信实验室);Laboratory of Quantum Processes and Measurements, ITMO University(伊托夫大学量子过程与测量实验室)
We consider continuous-variable quantum key distribution with discrete-alphabet encodings. In particular, we study protocols where information is encoded in the phase of displaced coherent (or thermal) states, even though the results can be directly extended to any protocol based on finite constellations of displaced Gaussian states. In this setting, we provide a composable security analysis in the finite-size regime assuming the realistic but restrictive hypothesis of collective Gaussian attacks. Under this assumption, we can efficiently estimate the parameters of the channel via maximum like…
We extend the security proof for continuous variable quantum key distribution protocols using post selection to account for arbitrary eavesdropping attacks by employing the concept of an equiv- alent protocol where the post-selection is implemented as a projective quantum measurement. We demonstrate that the security can be calculated using only experimentally accessible quantities and finally explicitly evaluate the performance for the case of a noisy Gaussian channel in the limit of unbounded key length.
We analyze the asymptotic security of the family of Gaussian modulated Quantum Key Distribution protocols for Continuous Variables systems. We prove that the Gaussian unitary attack is optimal for all the considered bounds on the key rate when the first and second momenta of the canonical variables involved are known by the honest parties.
In this thesis we study the finite-size analysis of two continuous-variables quantum key distribution schemes. The first one is the one-way protocol using Gaussian modulation of thermal states and the other is the measurement-device-independent protocol. To do so, we adopt an efficient channel parameter estimation method based on the assumption of the Gaussian variables and the central limit theorem introduced by Ruppert et al. [Phys. Rev. A 90, 062310 (2014)]. Furthermore, we present a composable security analysis of the measurement device independent protocol for coherent attacks with a chan…
We consider the possibilities offered by Gaussian states and operations for two honest parties, Alice and Bob, to obtain privacy against a third eavesdropping party, Eve. We first extend the security analysis of the protocol proposed in M. Navascues et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 010502 (2005). Then, we prove that a generalized version of this protocol does not allow to distill a secret key out of bound entangled Gaussian states.
We report the suitability of an Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) entanglement source for gaussian continuous-variable quantum key distribution at 1550 nm. Our source is based on a single continuous-wave squeezed vacuum mode combined with a vacuum mode at a balanced beam splitter. Extending a recent security proof, we characterize the source by quantifying the extractable length of a composable secure key from a finite number of samples under the assumption of collective attacks. We show that distances in the order of 10 km are achievable with this source for a reasonable sample size despite the f…
We introduce a symmetrization technique which can be used as an extra step in some continuous-variable quantum key distribution protocols. By randomizing the data in phase space, one can dramatically simplify the security analysis of the protocols, in particular in the case of collective attacks. The main application of this procedure concerns protocols with postselection, for which security was established only against Gaussian attacks until now. Here, we prove that under some experimentally verifiable conditions, Gaussian attacks are optimal among all collective attacks.
We investigate the security of continuous-variable (CV) quantum key distribution (QKD) using coherent states and reverse reconciliation against Gaussian individual attacks based on an optimal Gaussian $1 \to 2$ cloning machine. We provide an implementation of the optimal Gaussian individual attack. we also find a Bell-measurement attack which works without delayed choice of measurements and has better performance than the cloning attack.
We propose a long-distance continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CVQKD) with four-state protocol using non-Gaussian state-discrimination detection. A photon subtraction operation, which is deployed at the transmitter, is used for splitting the signal required for generating the non-Gaussian operation to lengthen the maximum transmission distance of CVQKD. Whereby an improved state-discrimination detector, which can be deemed as an optimized quantum measurement that allows the discrimination of nonorthogonal coherent states beating the standard quantum limit, is applied at the receiver …
Security of a continuous-variable quantum key distribution protocol based on noisy coherent states and channel is analyzed. Assuming the noise of coherent states is induced by Fred, a neutral party relative to others, we prove that the prepare and measurement scheme and entanglement-based scheme are equivalent. Then, we show that this protocol is secure against Gaussian collective attacks even if the channel is lossy and noisy, and further, a lower bound to the secure key rate is derived.
We prove the security of Gaussian continuous-variable quantum key distribution against arbitrary attacks in the finite-size regime. The novelty of our proof is to consider symmetries of quantum key distribution in phase space in order to show that, to good approximation, the Hilbert space of interest can be considered to be finite-dimensional, thereby allowing for the use of the postselection technique introduced by Christandl, Koenig and Renner (Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 020504 (2009)). Our result greatly improves on previous work based on the de Finetti theorem which could not provide security f…
Entanglement properties of Gaussian states of light as well as the security of continuous variable quantum key distribution with Gaussian states in free-space fading channels are studied. These qualities are shown to be sensitive to the statistical properties of the transmittance distribution in the cases when entanglement is strong or when channel excess noise is present. Fading, i.e. transmission fluctuations, caused by beam wandering due to atmospheric turbulence, is a frequent challenge in free-space communication. We introduce a method of fading discrimination and subsequent post-selectio…
We use single homodyne detector to accomplish Continuous-Variable quantum key distribution(CV QKD) in a laboratory and urban environment free-space channel. This is based on Gaussian modulation with coherent-states in the polarization degree of freedom. We achieved a QKD distance at 460m, at the repetition rate of 10 kHz. We give the security of this protocol against collective attack in the asymptotic regime. The secure key rate is 0.152 kbps at the typical reconciliation efficiency of 0.95. The experiment setup of this scheme is simplified and the difficulty to realize has been remarkably re…
We give the first composable security proof for continuous-variable quantum key distribution with coherent states against collective attacks. Crucially, in the limit of large blocks the secret key rate converges to the usual value computed from the Holevo bound. Combining our proof with either the de Finetti theorem or the Postselection technique then shows the security of the protocol against general attacks, thereby confirming the long-standing conjecture that Gaussian attacks are optimal asymptotically in the composable security framework. We expect that our parameter estimation procedure, …
We discuss quantum key distribution protocols using quantum continuous variables. We show that such protocols can be made secure against individual gaussian attacks regardless the transmission of the optical line between Alice and Bob. This is achieved by reversing the reconciliation procedure subsequent to the quantum transmission, that is, using Bob's instead of Alice's data to build the key. Although squeezing or entanglement may be helpful to improve the resistance to noise, they are not required for the protocols to remain secure with high losses. Therefore, these protocols can be impleme…
In this paper, we consider continuous-variable quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols which use non-Gaussian modulations. These specific modulation schemes are compatible with very efficient error correction procedures, hence allowing the protocols to outperform previous protocols in terms of achievable range. In their simplest implementation, these protocols are secure for any linear quantum channels (hence against Gaussian attacks). We also show how the use of decoy states makes the protocols secure against arbitrary collective attacks, which implies their unconditional security in the asy…
A fully general approach to the security analysis of continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) is presented. Provided that the quantum channel is estimated via the covariance matrix of the quadratures, Gaussian attacks are shown to be optimal against all eavesdropping strategies, including collective and coherent attacks. The proof is made strikingly simple by combining a physical model of measurement, an entanglement-based description of CV-QKD, and a recent powerful result on the extremality of Gaussian states [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 080502 (2006)].
A general study of arbitrary finite-size coherent attacks against continuous-variable quantum cryptographic schemes is presented. It is shown that, if the size of the blocks that can be coherently attacked by an eavesdropper is fixed and much smaller than the key size, then the optimal attack for a given signal-to-noise ratio in the transmission line is an individual gaussian attack. Consequently, non-gaussian coherent attacks do not need to be considered in the security analysis of such quantum cryptosystems.
We prove the secret key rate formulas and derive security threshold parameters of multicarrier continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CVQKD). In a multicarrier CVQKD scenario, the Gaussian input quantum states of the legal parties are granulated into Gaussian subcarrier CVs (continuous-variables). The multicarrier communication formulates Gaussian sub-channels from the physical quantum channel, each dedicated to the transmission of a subcarrier CV. The Gaussian subcarriers are decoded by a unitary CV operation, which results in the recovered single-carrier Gaussian CVs. We derive the fo…
In this paper, we consider continuous-variable quantum key distribution with a discrete modulation, either binary or quaternary. We establish the security of these protocols against the class of collective attacks that induce a linear quantum channel. In particular, all Gaussian attacks are taken into account, as well as linear attacks which add a non-Gaussian noise. We give lower bounds for the secret key rate using extremality properties of Gaussian states.
Quantum key distribution using weak coherent states and homodyne detection is a promising candidate for practical quantum-cryptographic implementations due to its compatibility with existing telecom equipment and high detection efficiencies. However, despite the actual simplicity of the protocol, the security analysis of this method is rather involved compared to discrete-variable QKD. In this article we review the theoretical foundations of continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) with Gaussian modulation and rederive the essential relations from scratch in a pedagogical way. The…
An intercept-resend attack on a continuous-variable quantum-key-distribution protocol is investigated experimentally. By varying the interception fraction, one can implement a family of attacks where the eavesdropper totally controls the channel parameters. In general, such attacks add excess noise in the channel, and may also result in non-Gaussian output distributions. We implement and characterize the measurements needed to detect these attacks, and evaluate experimentally the information rates available to the legitimate users and the eavesdropper. The results are consistent with the optim…
We consider one of the quantum key distribution protocols recently introduced in Ref. [Pirandola et al., Nature Physics 4, 726 (2008)]. This protocol consists in a two-way quantum communication between Alice and Bob, where Alice encodes secret information via a random phase-space displacement of a coherent state. In particular, we study its security against a specific class of individual attacks which are based on combinations of Gaussian quantum cloning machines.
The Gaussian quantum key distribution protocol based on coherent states and heterodyne detection [Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 170504 (2004)] has the advantage that no active random basis switching is needed on the receiver's side. Its security is, however, not very satisfyingly understood today because the bounds on the secret key rate that have been derived from Heisenberg relations are not attained by any known scheme. Here, we address the problem of the optimal Gaussian individual attack against this protocol, and derive tight upper bounds on the information accessible to an eavesdropper. The opti…
We present a continuous-variable quantum key distribution protocol combining a continuous but slightly non-Gaussian modulation together with a efficient reverse reconciliation scheme. We establish the security of this protocol against collective attacks which correspond to a linear quantum channel. In particular, all Gaussian attacks are considered in our framework. We show that this protocol outperforms all known practical protocols, even taking into account finite size effects.
We propose a novel scheme for continuous variable quantum key distribution(CV-QKD) using the subcarrier multiplexing technique which was employed in microwave photonics. This scheme allows to distribute N channels independent Gaussian modulated CV-QKD in parallel with one laser source and several phase modulators. We analyze the influence of nonlinear signal mixing and the security in the asymptotic limit. Results indicate that by using this multiplexing technique, each channel will be introduced a non-Gaussian extra source noise, resulting slightly short of the maximum transmission distance, …
The unconditional security of continuous-variable quantum key distribution is established for all schemes based on the estimation of the channel loss and excess noise. It is proved that, in the limit of large keys, Gaussian attacks are asymptotically optimal among the most general (coherent) attacks, where the transmission is tapped using arbitrary ancillas and stored in a quantum memory as a whole. Then, it is shown that the previously derived bounds on the achievable secret key rates against collective attacks remain asymptotically valid for arbitrary coherent attacks.
We consider the security of continuous-variable quantum key distribution using thermal (or noisy) Gaussian resource states. Specifically, we analyze this against collective Gaussian attacks using direct and reverse reconciliation where both protocols use either homodyne or heterodyne detection. We show that in the case of direct reconciliation with heterodyne detection, an improved robustness to channel noise is achieved when large amounts of preparation noise is added, as compared to the case when no preparation noise is added. We also consider the theoretical limit of infinite preparation no…
We present a composable security proof, valid against arbitrary attacks and including finite-size effects, for a high dimensional time-frequency quantum key distribution (TFQKD) protocol based upon spectrally entangled photons. Previous works have focused on TFQKD schemes as it combines the impressive loss tolerance of single-photon QKD with the large alphabets of continuous variable (CV) schemes, which enables the potential for more than one bit of secret key per transmission. However, the finite-size security of such schemes has only been proven under the assumption of collective Gaussian at…