Discrete-modulated continuous-variable quantum key distribution protocols are promising candidates for large-scale deployment due to the large technological overlap with deployed modern optical communication devices. The security of discrete modulation schemes has previously analyzed in the ideal detector scenario in the asymptotic limit. In this work, we calculate asymptotic key rates against collective attacks in the trusted detector noise scenario. Our results show that we can thus cut out most of the effect of detector noise and obtain asymptotic key rates similar to those had we access to ideal detectors.
We address side-channel leakage in a trusted preparation station of continuous-variable quantum key distribution with coherent and squeezed states. We consider two different scenaria: multimode Gaussian modulation, directly accessible to an eavesdropper, or side-channel loss of the signal states prior to the modulation stage. We show the negative impact of excessive modulation on both the coherent- and squeezed-state protocols. The impact is more pronounced for squeezed-state protocols and may require optimization of squeezing in the case of noisy quantum channels. Further, we demonstrate that…
We address security of the quantum key distribution scheme based on the noisy modulation of coherent states and investigate how it is robust against noise in the modulation regardless of the particular technical implementation. As the trusted preparation noise is shown to be security breaking even for purely lossy channels, we reveal the essential difference between two types of trusted noise, namely sender-side preparation noise and receiver-side detection noise, the latter being security preserving. We consider the method of sender-side state purification to compensate the preparation noise …
We address the role of the phase-insensitive trusted preparation and detection noise in the security of a continuous-variable quantum key distribution, considering the Gaussian protocols on the basis of coherent and squeezed states and studying them in the conditions of Gaussian lossy and noisy channels. The influence of such a noise on the security of Gaussian quantum cryptography can be crucial, even despite the fact that a noise is trusted, due to a strongly nonlinear behavior of the quantum entropies involved in the security analysis. We recapitulate the known effect of the preparation noi…
Flaws in the process of modulation, or encoding of key bits in the quadratures of the electromagnetic light field, can make continuous-variable quantum key distribution systems susceptible to leakage of secret information. Here, we report such a modulation leakage vulnerability in a system that uses an optical in-phase and quadrature modulator to implement a single sideband encoding scheme. The leakage arises from the limited suppression of a quantum-information-carrying sideband during modulation. Based on the results from a proof-of-concept experiment, we theoretically analyse the impact of …
A numerical security proof technique is used to analyse the security of continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) protocols with phase-shift keying modulation against collective attacks in the asymptotic limit. We argue why it is sufficient to consider protocols with a maximum number of eight signal states and analyse different postselection strategies for protocols with four (QPSK) and eight (8PSK) signal states for untrusted ideal and trusted nonideal detectors. We introduce a \emph{cross-shaped} postselection strategy, and show that both cross-shaped and radial and angular posts…
We investigate limitations imposed by detector dead-times on the performance of sequential attacks against a differential-phase-shift (DPS) quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol with weak coherent pulses. In particular, we analyze sequential attacks based on unambiguous state discrimination of the signal states emitted by the source and we obtain ultimate upper bounds on the maximal distance achievable by a DPS QKD scheme both in the so-called trusted and untrusted device scenarios, respectively.
We propose a continuous variable quantum key distribution protocol based on discrete modulation of eight-state coherent states. We present a rigorous security proof against the collective attacks considering both of realistic lossy, noisy quantum channels, imperfect detector efficiency, and detector electronic noise. This protocol shows high tolerance against excess noise and it is promising to achieve hundreds distance long in optical fiber base.
We provide a simple method to obtain an upper bound on the secret key rate that is particularly suited to analyze practical realizations of quantum key distribution protocols with imperfect devices. We consider the so-called trusted device scenario where Eve cannot modify the actual detection devices employed by Alice and Bob. The upper bound obtained is based on the available measurements results, but it includes the effect of the noise and losses present in the detectors of the legitimate users.
The role of the side channels in the continuous-variable quantum key distribution is studied. It is shown how the information leakage through a side channel from the trusted sender station increases the vulnerability of the protocols to the eavesdropping in the main quantum communication channel. Moreover, the untrusted noise infusion by an eavesdropper on the trusted receiving side breaks the security even for a purely attenuating main quantum channel. As a method to compensate for the effect of the side-channel leakage on the sender side, we suggest several types of manipulations on the side…
The possibility of using squeezed states in the recently suggested unidimensional continuous-variable quantum key distribution based on a single quadrature modulation is addressed. It is shown that squeezing of the signal states expands the physicality bounds of the effective entangled state shared between the trusted parties due to the antisqueezing noise in the unmodulated quadrature. Modulation of the antisqueezed quadrature, on the other hand, effectively shrinks the physicality bounds due to the squeezing in the unmodulated quadrature and also provides noise on the reference side of the p…
Secure quantum key distribution with multimode Gaussian entangled states and multimode homodyne detectors is proposed. In general the multimode character of both the sources of entanglement and the homodyne detectors can cause a security break even for a perfect channel when trusted parties are unaware of the detection structure. Taking into account the multimode structure and potential leakage of information from a homodyne detector reduces the loss of security to some extent. We suggest the symmetrization of the multimode sources of entanglement as an efficient method allowing us to fully re…
Quantum key distribution is rising as an important cryptographic primitive for protecting the communication infrastructure in the digital era. However, its implementation security is often weakened by components whose behavior deviates from what is expected. Here, we analyse the response of a self-differencing avalanche photodiode, a key enabler for high speed quantum key distribution, to intense light shone from a continuous-wave laser. Under incorrect settings, the cancellation entailed by the self-differencing circuitry can make the detector insensitive to single photons. However, we experi…
The practical homodyne detector model of continuous-variable quantum key distribution models the inherent imperfections of the practical homodyne detector, namely the limited detection efficiency and the electronic noise, into trusted loss. However, the conventional practical homodyne detector model is valid only when both the imperfections of the practical homodyne detector are calibrated. In this paper, we show a modified practical homodyne detector model that can model the imperfections separately. The phase-sensitive amplifier is further applied to compensate the imperfections of the pract…
Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) protocol was proposed to remove all the detector side channel attacks, while its security relies on the trusted encoding systems. Here we propose a one-sided MDI-QKD (1SMDI-QKD) protocol, which enjoys detection loophole-free advantage, and at the same time weakens the state preparation assumption in MDI-QKD. The 1SMDI-QKD can be regarded as a modified MDI-QKD, in which Bob's encoding system is trusted, while Alice's is uncharacterized. For the practical implementation, we also provide a scheme by utilizing coherent light source …
Measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD) protocol has been demonstrated as a viable solution to detector side-channel attacks. One of the main advantages of MDI-QKD is that the security can be proved without making any assumptions about how the measurement device works. The price to pay is the relatively low secure key rate comparing with conventional quantum key distribution (QKD), such as the decoy-state BB84 protocol. Recently a new QKD protocol, aiming at bridging the strong security of MDI-QKD with the high efficiency of conventional QKD, has been proposed. In thi…
Deployed trusted-node quantum key distribution over 300 km with a multi-core fiber access link
Department of Electrical Engineering, Linköping University（电气工程系，林雪平大学）；Department of Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology（物理学系，皇家理工学院）；Department of Physics, Stockholm University（物理学系，斯德哥尔摩大学）；Lehrstuhl für Nachrichtentechnik, Technische Universität Dortmund（信息通信技术教席，德累斯顿技术大学）；Department of Electrical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology（电气工程系，查尔姆斯理工大学）
Randomness, mainly in the form of random numbers, is the fundamental prerequisite for the security of many cryptographic tasks. Quantum randomness can be extracted even if adversaries are fully aware of the protocol and even control the randomness source. However, an adversary can further manipulate the randomness via tailored detector blinding attacks, which are hacking attacks suffered by protocols with trusted detectors. Here, by treating no-click events as valid events, we propose a quantum random number generation protocol that can simultaneously address source vulnerability and ferocious…
Controlling the quadrature measured by a homodyne detector is a universal task in continuous-variable quantum optics. However, deriving an error signal that is linear across theentire range of quadrature angles remains an open experimental problem. Here we propose a scheme to produce such an error signal through the use of a universally tunable modulator.
