Security of trusted repeater quantum key distribution networks

Issue title: EU-Funded ICT Research on Trust and Security

Guest editors: Jan CamenischGuest-Editor, Javier LopezGuest-Editor, Fabio MassacciGuest-Editor, Massimo CiscatoGuest-Editor and Thomas SkordasGuest-Editor

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Salvail, Louis^a | Peev, Momtchil^b | Diamanti, Eleni^{c; d} | Alléaume, Romain^d | Lütkenhaus, Norbert^{e; f} | Länger, Thomas^b

Affiliations: [a] Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada | [b] Austrian Research Centers GmbH – ARC, Vienna, Austria | [c] Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, Palaiseau, France | [d] Telecom ParisTech & LTCI–CNRS, Paris, France | [e] University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany | [f] Institute for Quantum Computing, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada

Abstract: A Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) network is an infrastructure capable of performing long-distance and high-rate secret key agreement with information-theoretic security. In this paper we study security properties of QKD networks based on trusted repeater nodes. Such networks can already be deployed, based on current technology. We present an example of a trusted repeater QKD network, developed within the SECOQC project. The main focus is put on the study of secure key agreement over a trusted repeater QKD network, when some nodes are corrupted. We propose an original method, able to ensure the authenticity and privacy of the generated secret keys.

Keywords: Quantum cryptography, quantum key distribution (QKD), QKD network, trusted repeater, secure key agreement, secret sharing

DOI: 10.3233/JCS-2010-0373

Journal: Journal of Computer Security, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 61-87, 2010