The Role of piracy in quantum proofs

TL;DR

This paper introduces the concept of anti-piracy proof systems in quantum information, demonstrating their potential for preventing piracy attacks and exploring their implications for quantum complexity classes.

Contribution

It defines anti-piracy proof systems, provides examples for oracle problems and NP, and analyzes cloneable quantum proof systems in relation to QMA and QCMA.

Findings

Demonstrated anti-piracy proof system for an oracle problem

Proposed candidate anti-piracy proof system for NP

Analyzed cloneable quantum proof systems and their complexity implications

Abstract

A well-known feature of quantum information is that it cannot, in general, be cloned. Recently, a number of quantum-enabled information-processing tasks have demonstrated various forms of uncloneability; among these forms, piracy is an adversarial model that gives maximal power to the adversary, in controlling both a cloning-type attack, as well as the evaluation/verification stage. Here, we initiate the study of anti-piracy proof systems, which are proof systems that inherently prevent piracy attacks. We define anti-piracy proof systems, demonstrate such a proof system for an oracle problem, and also describe a candidate anti-piracy proof system for NP. We also study quantum proof systems that are cloneable and settle the famous QMA vs. QMA(2) debate in this setting. Lastly, we discuss how one can approach the QMA vs. QCMA question, by studying its cloneable variants.