EAVESDROPPING ON QUANTUM-CRYPTOGRAPHICAL SYSTEMS

Citation
Ak. Ekert et al., EAVESDROPPING ON QUANTUM-CRYPTOGRAPHICAL SYSTEMS, Physical review. A, 50(2), 1994, pp. 1047-1056
Citations number
27
Categorie Soggetti
Physics
Journal title
ISSN journal
10502947
Volume
50
Issue
2
Year of publication
1994
Part
A
Pages
1047 - 1056
Database
ISI
SICI code
1050-2947(1994)50:2<1047:EOQS>2.0.ZU;2-F
Abstract
Quantum cryptography cannot prevent eavesdropping, but any eavesdroppi ng attempt can be detected by the legitimate users of the communicatio n channel. This is because eavesdropping affects the quantum state of the information carriers and results in an abnormal error rate. In thi s paper, we analyze various eavesdropping techniques, which may be eit her translucent or opaque to the transmitted photons, and we estimate the error rate above which the key distribution is deemed unsafe and s hould be abandoned.