One-sided device-independent quantum key distribution for two independent parties

Abstract

Remote distribution of secret keys is a challenging task in quantum cryptography. A significant step in this direction is the measurement-device independence quantum key distribution (MDI-QKD). For two remote (or independent) parties Alice and Bob who initially no share secret information, the MDI-QKD enables them to share a secret key by the measurement of an untrusted relay. Unfortunately, the MDI-QKD yields the assumption that the devices of both Alice and Bob have to be trusted. Here, we show that QKD between two independent parties can also be realized even if the device of either Alice or Bob is untrusted. We tackle the problem by resorting to the recently developed one-sided device-independent QKD protocol. We derive conditions on the extracted secret key to be unconditionally secure against arbitary attacks in the limit of asymptotic keys. In the presence of Gaussian states and measurements, we theoretically demonstrate our scheme is feasible, which could be an attractive candidate for long distance secret communication.

The Evolution of Quantum Key Distribution Networks: On the Road to the Qinternet

“…The only assumption in MDI-QKD is that Alice and Bob trust their sources. Even this assumption can be relaxed with the aid of the device-independent QKD (DI-QKD) philosophy [121]- [123]. In contrast to the MDI-QKD protocol that is feasible to implement in practical 6 MDI implies that the security of QKD does not depend on the measurement device at the receiver side, that is, the MDI-QKD process remains secure even if the measurement device is controlled by an eavesdropper.…”

QKeyShield: A Practical Receiver-Device-Independent Entanglement-Swapping-Based Quantum Key Distribution

“…It's efficiency is not optimal as it discards more than 50% of the results. Another 1SDI-QKD protocol has been published recently by Xin et al (2020) [38]. They did not consider the parameter estimation step where Eve's presence is detected.…”

DGL22: A practical Quantum key distribution

“…Other researchers focus on considering the receiver measurement device, not only the detectors, as an uncharacterized device. They are called either 1SDI-QKD [33,5,7], which stands for one-sided-device-independent, RDI-QKD [15], which stands for receiver-device-independent. Xin et al (2020) recently published a 1SDI-QKD scheme [33].…”

“…They are called either 1SDI-QKD [33,5,7], which stands for one-sided-device-independent, RDI-QKD [15], which stands for receiver-device-independent. Xin et al (2020) recently published a 1SDI-QKD scheme [33]. They ignored the parameter estimation stage in which Eve's existence is sensed.…”