Some physics and system issues in the security analysis of quantum key distribution protocols

Horace P. Yuen

doi:10.1007/s11128-014-0756-4

Some physics and system issues in the security analysis of quantum key distribution protocols

Horace P. Yuen^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this paper, we review a number of issues on the security of quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols that bear directly on the relevant physics or mathematical representation of the QKD cryptosystem. It is shown that the cryptosystem representation itself may miss out many possible attacks, which are not accounted for in the security analysis and proofs. Hence, the final security claims drawn from such analysis are not reliable, apart from foundational issues about the security criteria that are discussed elsewhere. The cases of continuous-variable QKD and multi-photon sources are elaborated upon.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	2241-2254
Number of pages	14
Journal	Quantum Information Processing
Volume	13
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11128-014-0756-4
State	Published - Oct 1 2014

Keywords

Quantum cryptography
Quantum key distribution
Quantum optics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Statistical and Nonlinear Physics
Theoretical Computer Science
Signal Processing
Modeling and Simulation
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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10.1007/s11128-014-0756-4

Cite this

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abstract = "In this paper, we review a number of issues on the security of quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols that bear directly on the relevant physics or mathematical representation of the QKD cryptosystem. It is shown that the cryptosystem representation itself may miss out many possible attacks, which are not accounted for in the security analysis and proofs. Hence, the final security claims drawn from such analysis are not reliable, apart from foundational issues about the security criteria that are discussed elsewhere. The cases of continuous-variable QKD and multi-photon sources are elaborated upon.",

keywords = "Quantum cryptography, Quantum key distribution, Quantum optics",

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N2 - In this paper, we review a number of issues on the security of quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols that bear directly on the relevant physics or mathematical representation of the QKD cryptosystem. It is shown that the cryptosystem representation itself may miss out many possible attacks, which are not accounted for in the security analysis and proofs. Hence, the final security claims drawn from such analysis are not reliable, apart from foundational issues about the security criteria that are discussed elsewhere. The cases of continuous-variable QKD and multi-photon sources are elaborated upon.

AB - In this paper, we review a number of issues on the security of quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols that bear directly on the relevant physics or mathematical representation of the QKD cryptosystem. It is shown that the cryptosystem representation itself may miss out many possible attacks, which are not accounted for in the security analysis and proofs. Hence, the final security claims drawn from such analysis are not reliable, apart from foundational issues about the security criteria that are discussed elsewhere. The cases of continuous-variable QKD and multi-photon sources are elaborated upon.

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Some physics and system issues in the security analysis of quantum key distribution protocols

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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