SECURE MULTI-PARTY COMMUNICATION WITH QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION MANAGED BY TRUSTED AUTHORITY

摘要

Techniques and tools for implementing protocols for secure multi-party communication after quantum key distribution (“QKD”) are described herein. In example implementations, a trusted authority facilitates secure communication between multiple user devices. The trusted authority distributes different quantum keys by QKD under trust relationships with different users. The trusted authority determines combination keys using the quantum keys and makes the combination keys available for distribution (e.g., for non-secret distribution over a public channel). The combination keys facilitate secure communication between two user devices even in the absence of QKD between the two user devices. With the protocols, benefits of QKD are extended to multi-party communication scenarios. In addition, the protocols can retain benefit of QKD even when a trusted authority is offline or a large group seeks to establish secure communication within the group.

主权项

1. A method of a trusted authority facilitating secure, authenticated communication between a first user device and a second user device, the method comprising:
providing a secret key derivation key and a secret key authentication key to the first user device, by a first quantum key distribution; providing a secret encryption key to the second user device, by a second quantum key distribution; calculating a pair key based at least in part on the secret key derivation key and the secret encryption key; calculating, using a cryptographic one-way function, a key authentication value based at least in part on the secret key authentication key and the secret encryption key; and making the pair key and the key authentication value available for distribution.