Eavesdropping and countermeasures for backflash side channel in fiber polarization-coded quantum key distribution

Chen Yan-Hui; Wang Jin-Dong; Du Cong; Ma Rui-Li; Zhao Jia-Yu; Qin Xiao-Juan; Wei Zheng-Jun; Zhang Zhi-Ming

doi:10.7498/aps.68.20190464

Abstract

Nowadays, the practical security of quantum key distribution (QKD) is the biggest challenge. In practical implementation, the security of a practical system strongly depends on its device implementation, and device defects will create security holes. The information leakage from a receiving unit due to secondary photon emission (backflash) is caused by a single-photon detector in the avalanche process. Now studies have shown that the backflash will leak the information about time and polarization and the eavesdropping behavior will not generate additional error rate in the communication process. An eavesdropping scheme obtaining time information by using backflash is proposed. Targeting this security hole for backflash leaking polarization information, an eavesdropping scheme for obtaining polarization information by using backflash is proposed in free-space QKD; however, it has not been reported in fiber QKD. In this study, the eavesdropping scheme and countermeasures for obtaining information by using backflash in fiber polarization-coded QKD is proposed. Since the polarization state of the fiber polarization-coded QKD system is easy to change, the scheme is proposed based on the time-division multiplexing polarization compensation fiber polarization-coded QKD system. In theory, the eavesdropper in this scheme obtaining the key information by using the backflash is theoretically deduced, and corrects the polarization change of the backflash by time-division multiplexing polarization compensation method, thus obtaining the accurate polarization information. The probability of backflash in the fiber polarization-coded QKD is measured to be 0.05, and the information leakage in the proposed eavesdropping scheme is quantified. The lower limit of the information obtained by the eavesdropper is 2.5 × 10^–4. Due to the fact that the polarization compensation process increases invalid information in actual operation, the information obtained by the eavesdropper will be further reduced, thus obtaining the lower limit of information leakage. The results show that the backflash leaks a small amount of key information in a time-multiplexed polarization-compensated fiber polarization-coded QKD system. The wavelength characteristics of the backflash can be utilized to take corresponding defense methods. Backflash has a wide spectral range, and the count of backflash has a peak wavelength. So, tunable filters and isolators can be used to reduce backflash leakage, thereby reducing the information leakage.

Keywords:

quantum key distribution /
polarization-coded /
time division multiplexing polarization compensation /
backflash

Authors and contacts

1.
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Functional Materials and Devices, Key Laboratory of Quantum Engineering and Quantum Materials, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
2.
Guangdong Polytechnic Institute, Guangzhou 510091, China

Corresponding author: Wang Jin-Dong, wangjindong@m.scnu.edu.cn

Funds: Project supported by the National Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61771205), the National Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, China (Grant No. 2015A030313388), and the Science and Technology Projects of Guangdong Province, China (Grant Nos. 2015B010128012, 2017KZ010101).

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References

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Cited By

图 1 在时分复用的光纤偏振编码QKD中利用反向荧光窃取偏振信息, 其中LD_1–5为激光器; ATT_1–7为可调谐光衰减器; PBS_1–6为偏振分束器; PC_1–8为手动偏振控制器; BS_1–9为分束器; EPC_1–4为电动偏振控制器; AMP为电压放大器; APD_1–14为雪崩光电探测器; CIR为环形器

Figure 1. Polarization information is obtained by backflash in a TDM fiber polarization coded QKD. LD_1–5, laser; ATT_1–7, variable optical attenuators; PBS_1–6, polarization beam splitters; PC_1–8, manual polarization-controllers; BS_1–9, beam splitters; EPC_1–4, electronic polarization-controllers; AMP, voltage amplifier; APD_1–14, avalanche photodetector; CIR, circulator.

DownLoad: Full-Size Img PowerPoint

图 2 探测光纤偏振编码QKD中携带有偏振信息的反向荧光概率 LD为激光器(QCL-102); ATT为衰减器(SM3301); APD_1–3为单光子探测器(ID200, ID200, ID201); CLOCK为时钟信号源(DG645); OSC为示波器(WAVERUNNER 8404 M); 电线长度相同

Figure 2. Probability detection of the backflash of the polarization-encoded QKD carrying polarization information. LD, laser (qcl-102); ATT, attenuator (SM3301); APD_1–3, avalanche photodetector (ID200, ID200, ID201); CLOCK, clock (DG645); OSC, oscilloscope (WAVERUNNER 8404 M); the cables are the same length.

DownLoad: Full-Size Img PowerPoint

图 3 Eve和Bob之间的符合计数直方图, 第三个峰为探测到的反向荧光光子数分布, 其他峰值为光学仪器的端面反射光

Figure 3. Coincidence count histogram between Bob and Eve. The third peak is the detected backflash photon number distribution, and the other peaks denote the reflected light of the optical instrument.

DownLoad: Full-Size Img PowerPoint

[1]	Gisin N, Ribordy G, Tittel W, Zbinden H 2002 Rev. Mod. Phys. 74 145 Google Scholar
[2]	Xu G, Chen X B, Dou Z, Yang Y X, Li Z 2015 Quantum Inf. Process 14 2959 Google Scholar
[3]	岳孝林, 王金东, 魏正军, 郭邦红, 刘颂豪 2012 物理学报 61 184215 Yue X L, WangJ D, Wei Z J, Guo B H, Liu S H 2012 Acta Phys. Sin. 61 184215
[4]	杨璐, 马鸿洋, 郑超, 丁晓兰, 高健存, 龙桂鲁 2017 物理学报 66 230303 Google Scholar Yang L, Ma H X, Zhen C, Ding X L, Gao J C, Long G L 2017 Acta Phys. Sin. 66 230303 Google Scholar
[5]	邓富国, 李熙涵, 李涛 2018 物理学报 67 130301 Google Scholar Deng G F, Li X H, Li T 2018 Acta Phys. Sin. 67 130301 Google Scholar
[6]	Bennett C H, Brassard G 1984 IEEE International Conference on Computers New York 198 4
[7]	Chen X B, Tang X, Xu G, Dou Z, Chen Y L, Yang Y X 2018 Quantum Inf. Process 17 225 Google Scholar
[8]	Chen X B, SunY R, Xu G, Jia H Y, Qu Z, Yang Y X 2017 Quantum Inf. Process 16 244 Google Scholar
[9]	Xu G, Xiao K, Li Z, Niu X X, Ryan M 2019 Comput. Mater. Con. 58 809
[10]	Xu G, Chen X B, Li J, Wang C, Yang Y X, Li Z 2015 Quantum Inf. Process 14 4297 Google Scholar
[11]	Chen X B, Wang Y L, Xu G, Yang Y X 2019 IEEE Access 7 13634 Google Scholar
[12]	Liu H W, Qu W X, Dou T Q, Wang J P, Zhang Y, Ma H Q 2018 Chin. Phys. B 27 212
[13]	Zhang H, Mao Y, Hang D, Guo Y, Wu X D, Zhang L 2018 Chin. Phys. B 27 90307 Google Scholar
[14]	Lo H 1999 Science 283 2050 Google Scholar
[15]	Norbert L 2000 Phys. Rev. A 61 052304 Google Scholar
[16]	Shor P W, Preskill J 2000 Appl. Phys. Lett. 85 441 Google Scholar
[17]	Renner R 2005 Phys. Rev. A 72 012332 Google Scholar
[18]	吴承峰, 杜亚男, 王金东, 魏正军, 秦晓娟, 赵峰, 张智明 2016 物理学报 65 100302 Google Scholar Wu C F, Du Y N, Wang J D, Wei Z J, Qin X J, Zhao F, Zhang Z M 2016 Acta Phys. Sin. 65 100302 Google Scholar
[19]	Wang J D, Qin X J, Jiang Y Z, Wang X J, Chen L W, Zhao F, Wei Z J, Zhang Z M 2016 Opt. Express 24 8302 Google Scholar
[20]	Brassard G, Lütkenhaus N, Mor T, Sanders B C 2000 Appl. Phys. Lett. 85 1330 Google Scholar
[21]	Lydersen L, Wiechers C, Wittmann C, Elser D, Skaar J, Makarov V 2010 Nat. Photon. 4 686 Google Scholar
[22]	Wang J D, Wang H, Qin X J, Wei Z J, Zhang Z M 2016 Eur. Phys. J. D 70 1 Google Scholar
[23]	Vadim M, Hjelme D R 2005 J. Mod. Opt. 52 691 Google Scholar
[24]	Qi B, Fung C H F, Lo H K, Ma X 2007 Quantum Inf. Comput. 7 73
[25]	Hadfield R H 2009 Nat. Photon. 3 696 Google Scholar
[26]	Newman R 1955 Phys. Rev. 100 700 Google Scholar
[27]	Chynoweth A G, Mckay K G 1956 Phys. Rev. 102 369 Google Scholar
[28]	Childs P A, Eccleston W 1984 J. Appl. Phys. 55 4304 Google Scholar
[29]	Waldschmidt M, Wittig S 1968 Nucl. Instrum. Meth. 64 189 Google Scholar
[30]	Gautam D K, Khokle W S, Garg K B 1988 Solid State Electron 31 219 Google Scholar
[31]	Lacaita A L, Zappa F, Bigliardi S, Manfredi M 1993 IEEE Trans. Electron Dev. 40 577
[32]	Lacaita A, Cova S, Spinelli A, Zappa F 1993 Appl. Phys. Lett. 62 606 Google Scholar
[33]	Villa S, Lacaita A L, Pacelli A 1995 Phys. Rev. B 52 10993 Google Scholar
[34]	Akil N, Kerns S E, Kerns D V, Charles J P 1998 Appl. Phys. Lett. 73 871 Google Scholar
[35]	Kurtsiefer C, Zarda P, Mayer S, Weinfurter H 2001 J. Mod. Opt. 48 2039
[36]	Acerbi F, Tosi A, Zappa F 2013 IEEE Photon. Tech. L. 25 1778 Google Scholar
[37]	Meda A, Degiovanni I P, Tosi A, Yuan Z, Brida G, Genovese M 2017 Light-Sci. Appl. 6 e16261 Google Scholar
[38]	Marini L, Camphausen R, Xiong C, Eggleton B J, Palomba S 2016 Conference on Optical Fibre Technology Australian OSA, September, 2016pAW5C-4
[39]	Shi Y, Lim J Z J, Poh H S, Tan P K, Tan P A, Ling A, Kurtsiefer C 2017 Opt. Express 25 30388 Google Scholar
[40]	Pinheiro P V P, Chaiwongkhot P, Sajeed S, Horn R T, Bourgoin J P, Jennewein T, Makarov V 2018 Opt. Express 26 21020 Google Scholar
[41]	Chen J, Wu G, Li Y, Wu E, Zeng H 2007 Opt. Express 15 17928 Google Scholar
[42]	Temporao G P 2009 New J. Phys. 11 045015 Google Scholar
[43]	Chen J, Wu G, Xu L, Gu X, Wu E, Zeng H 2009 New J. Phys. 11 065004 Google Scholar

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