We present an approach to the unconditional security of quantum key distribution protocols based on the uncertainty principle. The approach applies to every case that has been treated via the argument by Shor and Preskill, and relieve them from the constraints of finding quantum error correcting codes. It can also treat the cases with uncharacterized apparatuses. We derive a secure key rate for the Bennett-Brassard-1984 protocol with an arbitrary source characterized only by a single parameter representing the basis dependence.
Entropic uncertainty relations are underpinning to compute the quantitative security bound in quantum cryptographic applications, such as quantum random number generation (QRNG) and quantum key distribution (QKD). All security proofs derive a relation between the information accessible to the legitimate group and the maximum knowledge that an adversary may have gained, Eve, which exploits entropic uncertainty relations to lower bound Eve's uncertainty about the raw key generated by one party, Alice. The standard entropic uncertainty relations is to utilize the smooth min- and max-entropies to …
We describe the popular BB84 protocol and critically examine its security proof as presented by Shor and Preskill. The proof requires the use of quantum error correcting codes called the Calderbank-Shor-Steanne (CSS) quantum codes. These quantum codes are constructed in the quantum domain from two suitable classical linear codes, one used to correct for bit-flip errors and the other for phase-flip errors. Consequently, as a prelude to the security proof, the report reviews the essential properties of linear codes, especially the concept of cosets, before building the quantum codes that are uti…
We show the information-theoretic security proof of the differential-phase-shift (DPS) quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol based on the complementarity approach [arXiv:0704.3661 (2007)]. Our security proof provides a slightly better key generation rate compared to the one derived in the previous security proof in [arXiv:1208.1995 (2012)] that is based on the Shor-Preskill approach [Phys. Rev. Lett. ${\bf 85}$, 441 (2000)]. This improvement is obtained because the complementarity approach can employ more detailed information on Alice's sending state in estimating the leaked information to a…
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…
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) in principle offers unconditional security based on the laws of physics. Continuous variable (CV) quantum key distribution has the potential for high-key-rate and low-cost implementations using standard telecom components. Despite tremendous theoretical and experimental progress in continuous-variable quantum key distribution, the security has not been rigorously established for most current continuous-variable quantum key distribution systems that have imperfections. Among the imperfections, intensity fluctuation is a significant principal problem affecting secu…
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, …
A big challenge in continuous variable quantum key distribution is to prove security against arbitrary coherent attacks including realistic assumptions such as finite-size effects. Recently, such a proof has been presented in [Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 100502 (2012)] for a two-mode squeezed state protocol based on a novel uncertainty relation with quantum memories. But the transmission distances were fairly limited due to a direct reconciliation protocol. We prove here security against coherent attacks of a reverse reconciliation protocol under similar assumptions but allowing distances of over 16…
The security of quantum key distribution (QKD) has been proven for different protocols, in particular for the BB84 protocol. It has been shown that this scheme is robust against eventual imperfections in the state preparation, and sending only three different states delivers the same secret key rate achievable with four states. In this work, we prove, in a finite-key scenario, that the security of this protocol can be maintained even with less measurement operators on the receiver. This allows us to implement a time-bin encoding scheme with a minimum amount of resources.
Rigorous mathematical proofs of the security of continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV QKD) have been obtained recently. Unfortunately, these security proofs rely on assumptions that are hardly met in experimental practice. Here I investigate these issues in detail, and discuss experimentally-friendly workarounds to assess the security of CV QKD. The aim of this paper is to show that there are hidden and unsolved issues and to indicate possible partial solutions. To provide a complete and rigorous mathematical security proof is out of the scope of this contribution.
Among many quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols, the round-robin differential phase shift (RRDPS) protocol is unique in that it can upper-bound the amount of the information leakage without monitoring the signal disturbance. To expedite implementation of the protocol, however, the number of pulses forming a single block should be kept small, which significantly decreases the key rates in the original security proof. In the present paper, we refine the security proof of the RRDPS protocol in the finite-sized regime and achieve a tighter estimation for the information leakage without changin…
Continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) has many practical advantages including compatibility with current optical communication technology. Implementation using heterodyne measurements is particularly attractive since it eliminates the need for active phase locking of the remote pair of local oscillators, but the full security of CV QKD with discrete modulation was only proved for a protocol using homodyne measurements. Here we propose an all-heterodyne CV-QKD protocol with binary modulation and prove its security against general attacks in the finite-key regime. Although replac…
We give a security proof of the `Round Robin Differential Phase Shift' Quantum Key Distribution scheme, and we give a tight bound on the required amount of privacy amplification. Our proof consists of the following steps. We construct an EPR variant of the scheme. We identify Eve's optimal way of coupling an ancilla to an EPR qudit pair under the constraint that the bit error rate between Alice and Bob should not exceed a value beta. As a function of beta we derive, for finite key size, the trace distance between the real state and a state in which no leakage exists. For asymptotic key size we…
A consolidated and accessible security proof for finite-size decoy-state quantum key distribution
Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich-Hertz-Institut, HHI（弗劳恩霍夫电信研究所，海因里希·赫兹研究所）；Institute for Quantum Computing and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo（滑铁卢大学量子计算研究所及物理与天文学系）；Vigo Quantum Communication Center, University of Vigo（维戈大学维戈量子通信中心）；Escuela de Ingeniería de Telecomunicación, Department of Signal Theory and Communications, University of Vigo（维戈大学电信工程学院信号理论与通信系）；AtlanTTic Research Center, University of Vigo（维戈大学阿特兰蒂克研究中心）
The majority of research to date has concentrated on the quantum key distribution (QKD) between two parties. In general, the QKD protocols proposed for the multiparty scenario often involve the usage of a maximally entangled state, such as GHZ, which is challenging to implement in practice. This paper examines the prepare and measure version of multiparty communication through quantum key distribution. It is sufficient to have the capability of preparing and measuring a single qubit state. The security of the multiparty prepare and measure QKD is demonstrated by utilizing the well-known techni…
Quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols with threshold detectors are driving high-performance QKD demonstrations. The corresponding security proofs usually assume that all physical detectors have the same detection efficiency. However, the efficiencies of the detectors used in practice might show a mismatch depending on the manufacturing and setup of these detectors. A mismatch can also be induced as the different spatial-temporal modes of an incoming signal might couple differently to a detector. Here we develop a method that allows to provide security proofs without the usual assumption. Ou…
Quantum secure direct communication is one of the important mode of quantum communication, which sends secret information through a quantum channel directly without setting up a prior key. Over the past decade, numerous protocols have been proposed, and part of them have been experimentally demonstrated. However, the strict security proof is still in suspense. Two-way protocol is seen as one of the most practical protocol, in this paper, the security of the two-way quantum secure direct communication protocol will be proved against general attacks when the noisy and lossy channel is taken into…
Shor-Preskill Type Security-Proof for the Quantum Key Distribution without Public Announcement of Bases
对基不公开的量子密钥分发给出了Shor-Preskill型安全性证明[W. Y. Hwang等人，Phys. Lett. A 244，489（1998）]。首先，我们再次修改Lo-Chau协议，使其最终简化为无需公开基地的量子密钥分发。然后，我们展示了我们如何可以估计的错误率在码位的基础上，在所提出的协议中的检查位，这是证明的中心点。我们讨论的问题，不完美的来源和大偏差的错误率分布。我们讨论了何时必须丢弃碱基序列。
Twin-field (TF) quantum key distribution (QKD) was conjectured to beat the private capacity of a point-to-point QKD link by using single-photon interference in a central measuring station. This remarkable conjecture has recently triggered an intense research activity to prove its security. Here, we introduce a TF-type QKD protocol which is conceptually simpler than the original proposal. It relies on local phase randomization, instead of global phase randomization, which significantly simplifies its security analysis and is arguably less demanding experimentally. We demonstrate that the secure…
Security proof of Counterfactual Quantum Cryptography against General Intercept-resend Attacks and Its Vulnerability
Noh最近提出的反事实量子密码（CQC）具有不传输信号粒子的特点。这表现出明显的安全优势，如它的免疫力众所周知的PNS攻击。本文通过对窃听者Eve的信息进行比Yin的方案更严格的限制，证明了CQC协议在一般拦截重发攻击下的理论安全性[Phys. Rev. A 82，042335（2010）].它还表明，实际的CQC实现可能是脆弱的，当配备有不完美的设备，通过证明，可以实现负的密钥速率时，夏娃发起时移攻击的基础上不完美的检测器效率。
The round-robin differential phase shift (RRDPS) quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol is a unique quantum key distribution protocol whose security has not been understood through an information-disturbance trade-off relation, and a sufficient amount of privacy amplification was given independently of signal disturbance. Here, we discuss the security of the RRDPS protocol in the asymptotic regime when a good estimate of the bit error rate is available as a measure of signal disturbance. The uniqueness of the RRDPS protocol shows up as a peculiar form of information-disturbance trade-off curv…
Among various quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols, the round-robin differential-phase-shift (RRDPS) protocol has a unique feature that its security is guaranteed without monitoring any statistics. Moreover, this protocol has a remarkable property of being robust against source imperfections assuming that the emitted pulses are independent. Unfortunately, some experiments confirmed the violation of the independence due to pulse correlations, and therefore the lack of a security proof without taking into account this effect is an obstacle for the security. In this paper, we prove that the R…
