Defending Against the Homodyne Detector-Blinding Attack on Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution Using an Adjustable Optical Attenuator
A homodyne detector, which is also a common element in current telecommunication, is a core component of continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) since it is considered the simplest setup for the distinguishing of coherent states with minimum error. However, the theoretical security of...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Entropy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/27/6/631 |
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| author | Yijun Wang Yanyan Li Wenqi Jiang Ying Guo |
| author_facet | Yijun Wang Yanyan Li Wenqi Jiang Ying Guo |
| author_sort | Yijun Wang |
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| description | A homodyne detector, which is also a common element in current telecommunication, is a core component of continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) since it is considered the simplest setup for the distinguishing of coherent states with minimum error. However, the theoretical security of CV-QKD is based on the assumption that the responses of the homodyne detector are always linear with respect to the input, which is impossible in practice. In the real world, a homodyne detector has a finite linear domain, so the linearity assumption is broken when the input is too large. Regarding this security vulnerability, the eavesdropper Eve can perform the so-called homodyne detector-blinding attack by saturating the homodyne detector and then stealing key information without being detected by the legitimate users. In this paper, we propose a countermeasure for the homodyne detector-blinding attack by using an adjustable optical attenuator with a feedback structure. Specifically, we estimate the suitable attenuation value in the data processing of CV-QKD and feed it back to the adjustable optical attenuator before the detector in real time. Numerical simulation shows that the proposed countermeasure can effectively defend against homodyne detector-blinding attacks and ensure the security of the Gaussian-modulated coherent state protocol with finite-size effect. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3617e9b9c9654e73835e18d8cf2c2dcd |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1099-4300 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Entropy |
| spelling | doaj-art-3617e9b9c9654e73835e18d8cf2c2dcd2025-08-20T03:27:07ZengMDPI AGEntropy1099-43002025-06-0127663110.3390/e27060631Defending Against the Homodyne Detector-Blinding Attack on Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution Using an Adjustable Optical AttenuatorYijun Wang0Yanyan Li1Wenqi Jiang2Ying Guo3School of Automation, Central South University, Changsha 410083, ChinaSchool of Automation, Central South University, Changsha 410083, ChinaSchool of Automation, Central South University, Changsha 410083, ChinaSchool of Automation, Central South University, Changsha 410083, ChinaA homodyne detector, which is also a common element in current telecommunication, is a core component of continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) since it is considered the simplest setup for the distinguishing of coherent states with minimum error. However, the theoretical security of CV-QKD is based on the assumption that the responses of the homodyne detector are always linear with respect to the input, which is impossible in practice. In the real world, a homodyne detector has a finite linear domain, so the linearity assumption is broken when the input is too large. Regarding this security vulnerability, the eavesdropper Eve can perform the so-called homodyne detector-blinding attack by saturating the homodyne detector and then stealing key information without being detected by the legitimate users. In this paper, we propose a countermeasure for the homodyne detector-blinding attack by using an adjustable optical attenuator with a feedback structure. Specifically, we estimate the suitable attenuation value in the data processing of CV-QKD and feed it back to the adjustable optical attenuator before the detector in real time. Numerical simulation shows that the proposed countermeasure can effectively defend against homodyne detector-blinding attacks and ensure the security of the Gaussian-modulated coherent state protocol with finite-size effect.https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/27/6/631homodyne detector-blinding attackcontinuous-variable quantum key distributionadjustable optical attenuatorfeedback structure |
| spellingShingle | Yijun Wang Yanyan Li Wenqi Jiang Ying Guo Defending Against the Homodyne Detector-Blinding Attack on Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution Using an Adjustable Optical Attenuator Entropy homodyne detector-blinding attack continuous-variable quantum key distribution adjustable optical attenuator feedback structure |
| title | Defending Against the Homodyne Detector-Blinding Attack on Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution Using an Adjustable Optical Attenuator |
| title_full | Defending Against the Homodyne Detector-Blinding Attack on Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution Using an Adjustable Optical Attenuator |
| title_fullStr | Defending Against the Homodyne Detector-Blinding Attack on Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution Using an Adjustable Optical Attenuator |
| title_full_unstemmed | Defending Against the Homodyne Detector-Blinding Attack on Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution Using an Adjustable Optical Attenuator |
| title_short | Defending Against the Homodyne Detector-Blinding Attack on Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution Using an Adjustable Optical Attenuator |
| title_sort | defending against the homodyne detector blinding attack on continuous variable quantum key distribution using an adjustable optical attenuator |
| topic | homodyne detector-blinding attack continuous-variable quantum key distribution adjustable optical attenuator feedback structure |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/27/6/631 |
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