Quantum Authentication and Encryption with Key Recycling

TL;DR

This paper introduces a quantum encryption scheme for classical messages that detects eavesdropping and allows key reuse, requiring only simple quantum operations, making it feasible with current technology.

Contribution

The authors present a provably secure quantum encryption scheme with key recycling that is implementable using only single-qubit operations, unlike previous schemes requiring quantum computers.

Findings

Scheme detects eavesdropping effectively

Allows secure key reuse if no attack is detected

Requires only preparation and measurement of single qubits

Abstract

We propose an information-theoretically secure encryption scheme for classical messages with quantum ciphertexts that offers detection of eavesdropping attacks, and re-usability of the key in case no eavesdropping took place: the entire key can be securely re-used for encrypting new messages as long as no attack is detected. This is known to be impossible for fully classical schemes, where there is no way to detect plain eavesdropping attacks. This particular application of quantum techniques to cryptography was originally proposed by Bennett, Brassard and Breidbart in 1982, even before proposing quantum-key-distribution, and a simple candidate scheme was suggested but no rigorous security analysis was given. The idea was picked up again in 2005, when Damgard, Pedersen and Salvail suggested a new scheme for the same task, but now with a rigorous security analysis. However, their scheme is much more demanding in terms of quantum capabilities: it requires the users to have a quantum computer. In contrast, and like the original scheme by Bennett et al., our new scheme merely requires to prepare and measure single BB84 qubits. As such, we not only show a provably-secure scheme that is within reach of current technology, but we also confirm Bennett et al.'s original intuition that a scheme in the spirit of their original construction is indeed secure.