http://www.nature.com/nphoton/journal/v ... 0.214.html
Nature Photonics
Published online: 29 August 2010 | doi:10.1038/nphoton.2010.214
Hacking commercial quantum cryptography systems by tailored bright illumination
Lars Lydersen1,2, Carlos Wiechers3,4,5, Christoffer Wittmann3,4, Dominique Elser3,4, Johannes Skaar1,2 & Vadim Makarov1
Abstract
The peculiar properties of quantum mechanics allow two remote parties to communicate a private, secret key, which is protected from eavesdropping by the laws of physics1, 2, 3, 4. So-called quantum key distribution (QKD) implementations always rely on detectors to measure the relevant quantum property of single photons5. Here we demonstrate experimentally that the detectors in two commercially available QKD systems can be fully remote-controlled using specially tailored bright illumination. This makes it possible to tracelessly acquire the full secret key; we propose an eavesdropping apparatus built from off-the-shelf components. The loophole is likely to be present in most QKD systems using avalanche photodiodes to detect single photons. We believe that our findings are crucial for strengthening the security of practical QKD, by identifying and patching technological deficiencies.
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1. Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
2. University Graduate Center, NO-2027 Kjeller, Norway
3. Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Günther-Scharowsky-Strasse 1/Bau 24, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
4. Institut für Optik, Information und Photonik, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Staudtstraße 7/B2, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
5. Departamento de Física, Universidad de Guanajuato, Lomas del Bosque 103, Fraccionamiento Lomas del Campestre, 37150, León, Guanajuato, México
Correspondence to: Lars Lydersen1,2 e-mail: [email protected]
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