Remote quantum-safe authentication of entities with physical unclonable functions

TL;DR

This paper introduces a quantum-safe remote entity authentication protocol using physical unclonable functions that operates over large distances, ensuring security against classical and quantum attacks while integrating with existing photonic networks.

Contribution

The paper proposes a novel remote authentication protocol leveraging physical unclonable functions that is secure against quantum adversaries and compatible with current photonic infrastructure.

Findings

Protocol operates over large distances

Provides security against quantum adversaries

Compatible with existing quantum and photonic networks

Abstract

Physical unclonable functions have been shown a useful resource of randomness for implementing various cryptographic tasks including entity authentication. All of the related entity authentication protocols that have been discussed in the literature so far, either they are vulnerable to an emulation attack, or they are limited to short distances. Hence, quantum-safe remote entity authentication over large distances remains an open question. In the first part of this work we discuss the requirements that an entity authentication protocol has to offer in order to be useful for remote entity authentication in practice. Subsequently, we propose a protocol, which can operate over large distances, and offers security against both classical and quantum adversaries. The proposed protocol relies on standard techniques, it is fully compatible with the infrastructure of existing and future photonic networks, and it can operate in parallel with other quantum protocols, including QKD protocols.