Method for detecting blinding attacks on photodetectors in a quantum cryptography system
AssigneeNational University of Singapore
InventorsLijiong Shen, Christian Kurtsiefer
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Abstract
A method of identifying occurrence of a blinding attack in a quantum cryptography system, and a receiver for a quantum cryptography. The method comprises the steps of providing a light emitter at a receiver of the quantum cryptography system, wherein at least a portion of light emitted from the light emitter is detectable by a single photon detector of the receiver; switching the light emitter off during a normal operation mode of the single photon detector; measuring a first number of detection events registered in the single photon detector in a first time period, T1, with the light emitter switched on; and identifying the occurrence of the blinding attack based on the first number of detection invents.
Claims20
A method of identifying occurrence of a blinding attack in a quantum cryptography system, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a light emitter at a receiver of the quantum cryptography system, wherein the light emitter is different from a transmitter of a quantum cryptography signal to be received by the receiver, wherein the light emitter is different from a transmitter of a blinding attack signal directed at the receiver, and wherein at least a portion of light emitted from the light emitter is detectable by a single photon detector of the receiver;
- switching the light emitter off during a normal operation mode of the single photon detector;
- measuring a first number of detection events registered in the single photon detector in a first time period, T1, with the light emitter switched on;
- and
- identifying the occurrence of the blinding attack based on the first number of detection events.
A receiver for a quantum cryptography system, the receiver comprising:
- a single photon detector;
- a light emitter, wherein the light emitter is different from a transmitter of a quantum cryptography signal to be received by the receiver, wherein the light emitter is different from a transmitter of a blinding attack signal directed at the receiver, and wherein at least a portion of light emitted from the light emitter is detectable by the single photon detector;
- wherein the light emitter is configured to be off during a normal operation mode of the single photon detector;
- and
- a processor configured to measure a first number of detection events registered in the single photon detector in a first time period, T1, with the light emitter switched on and to identify the occurrence of the blinding attack based on the first number of detection events.
The receiver of 11, wherein T1 is randomly initiated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.