Journal article
Asymmetric cryptography with physical unclonable keys
QUANTUM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Vol.4(4), p.45011
10/15/2019
DOI: 10.1088/2058-9565/ab479f
Abstract
Secure communication is of paramount importance in modern society. Asymmetric cryptography methods such as the widely used RSA cryptosystem allow secure exchange of information between parties who have never previously shared keys. However, the existing asymmetric cryptographic schemes rely on unproven mathematical assumptions for security. Further, the digital keys used in their implementation are susceptible to copying that might remain unnoticed. Here, we introduce a secure communication method based on Physical Unclonable Keys (PUKs), which we call PUK-Enabled Asymmetric Communication (PEAC). PEAC uses physical keys and thus overcomes the problem of unnoticed copying. As all the information about the PUK is allowed to be public, PEAC does not require the safekeeping of any digital information. Using optical PUKs realized in opaque scattering materials, we transmit messages in an error-corrected way employing off-the-shelf equipment. Information is transmitted as patterned wavefronts of few-photon wavepackets which can be successfully decrypted only with the receiver's PUK. The security of PEAC assumes technological constraints in distinguishing between different few-photon wavefronts. A heuristic argument for the security of PEAC is outlined focusing on a specific attack, namely state estimation. We demonstrate secure transmission of messages over a 2 m free-space line-of-sight quantum channel. PEAC enables new directions for physical key based cryptography.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Asymmetric cryptography with physical unclonable keys
- Creators
- Ravitej Uppu - University of TwenteTom A. W. Wolterink - University of TwenteSebastianus A. Goorden - University of TwenteBin Chen - Eindhoven University of TechnologyBoris Skoric - Eindhoven University of TechnologyAllard P. Mosk - University of TwentePepijn W. H. Pinkse - University of Twente
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- QUANTUM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Vol.4(4), p.45011
- DOI
- 10.1088/2058-9565/ab479f
- ISSN
- 2058-9565
- eISSN
- 2058-9565
- Publisher
- Iop Publishing Ltd
- Number of pages
- 7
- Grant note
- 279248 / ERC; European Research Council (ERC); European Commission European Research Council ERC; European Research Council (ERC); European Commission 680.47.614; 651.002.003 / Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research NWO; Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 10/15/2019
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984442018802771
Metrics
54 Record Views