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Laser Damage Helps the Eavesdropper in Quantum Cryptography

Audun Nystad Bugge, Sebastien Sauge, Aina Mardhiyah M. Ghazali, Johannes Skaar, Lars Lydersen, and Vadim Makarov
Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 070503 – Published 18 February 2014
Physics logo See Synopsis: Cyberattack by Breaking and Entering

Abstract

We propose a class of attacks on quantum key distribution (QKD) systems where an eavesdropper actively engineers new loopholes by using damaging laser illumination to permanently change properties of system components. This can turn a perfect QKD system into a completely insecure system. A proof-of-principle experiment performed on an avalanche photodiode-based detector shows that laser damage can be used to create loopholes. After 1W illumination, the detectors’ dark count rate reduces 2–5 times, permanently improving single-photon counting performance. After 1.5W, the detectors switch permanently into the linear photodetection mode and become completely insecure for QKD applications.

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  • Received 31 October 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.070503

© 2014 American Physical Society

Synopsis

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Cyberattack by Breaking and Entering

Published 18 February 2014

A new study shows that messages sent by secure quantum communication methods can be intercepted and faked by attacks that damage system components.

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Authors & Affiliations

Audun Nystad Bugge1, Sebastien Sauge2, Aina Mardhiyah M. Ghazali3, Johannes Skaar1, Lars Lydersen1, and Vadim Makarov4,*

  • 1Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
  • 2School of Information and Communication Technology, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Electrum 229, SE-16440 Kista, Sweden
  • 3Department of Science in Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, P.O. Box 10, 50728 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 4Institute for Quantum Computing, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada

  • *makarov@vad1.com

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Issue

Vol. 112, Iss. 7 — 21 February 2014

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