Lightweight Quantum Security Protocols

TL;DR

This paper introduces lightweight quantum security protocols enabling resource-constrained participants to perform limited quantum operations, demonstrated through a secure, robust quantum key distribution protocol involving a fully capable third party.

Contribution

It defines the concept of lightweight quantum protocols and presents a novel mediated quantum key distribution protocol suitable for lightweight quantum users.

Findings

Protocol is robust under collective attack

Lightweight users perform only two quantum operations

Feasibility and advantages of lightweight protocols demonstrated

Abstract

Inspired by the semi-quantum protocols, this paper defines the lightweight quantum security protocols, in which lightweight participants can only operate two out of four very lightweight quantum operations. Subsequently, this study proposes a Lightweight Mediated Quantum Key Distribution (LMQKD) protocol as an example to disclose the feasibility and advantage of the lightweight quantum protocol. In the proposed protocol, a dishonest third party (TP) with complete quantum capabilities helps two lightweight quantum users establish a secure key. The lightweight quantum users are allowed to perform only: (1) unitary operations and (2) reflecting qubits without disturbance. The proposed protocol has been showed to be robust under the collective attack.