Reference Pulse Attack on Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution with Local Local Oscillator under trusted phase noise

Authors
Kumar, Rupesh 
Tang, Xinke 

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Type
Article
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Abstract

We show that partially trusting the phase noise associated with estimation uncertainty in a LLO CVQKD system allows one to exchange higher secure key rates than in the case of untrusted phase noise. However, this opens a security loophole through the manipulation of the reference pulse amplitude. We label this as "reference pulse attack" which is applicable to all LLO-CVQKD systems if the phase noise is trusted. We show that, at the optimal reference pulse intensity level, Eve achieves unity attack efficiency at 23.8km and 32.0km while using lossless and 0.14dB/km loss channels, respectively, for her attack. However, in order to maintain the performance enhancement from partially trusting the phase noise, countermeasures have been proposed. As a result, the LLO-CVQKD system with partially trusted phase noise owns a superior key rate at 20km by an order 9.5, and extended transmission distance by 45%, than that of the phase noise untrusted system.

Publication Date
2019
Online Publication Date
2019-01-02
Acceptance Date
2018-11-14
Keywords
quant-ph, quant-ph
Journal Title
Journal of the Optical Society of America B: Optical Physics
Journal ISSN
0740-3224
1520-8540
Volume Title
36
Publisher
Optical Society of America
Sponsorship
EPSRC (1817582)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/M013472/1)
EPSRC (via University of York) (EP/M013472/1)