A Quantum Cryptographic Protocol with Detection of Compromised Server

TL;DR

This paper introduces a hybrid quantum-classical cryptographic protocol that enables secure key generation and detection of compromised servers in a network, enhancing security against server-based attacks.

Contribution

It proposes a novel protocol combining quantum entanglement with classical methods to detect server cheating, improving trustworthiness in quantum network communications.

Findings

Cheating by a compromised server can be detected.

The protocol enables secure key generation using entangled photons.

It integrates quantum and classical cryptographic techniques.

Abstract

This paper presents a hybrid cryptographic protocol, using quantum and classical resources, to generate a key for authentication and optionally for encryption in a network. One or more trusted servers distribute streams of entangled photons to individual resources that seek to communicate. An important class of cheating by a compromised server will be detected.