The 5th LFPPI Symposium on Progress in Quantum Cryptography

Programme


1st day - 27th January (Monday)

Time Speaker Title/Description Location
8:30-10:00 Registration at conference front desk Entrance to main auditorium
(A-1 building, WUT)
10:00-10:20 Greetings and introduction from the organizers Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
Scientific session 1 - invited lectures
10:20-11:05 Prof. Nicolas Gisin
University of Geneva
Opening lecture:
Future of Quantum Communication: Quantum Networks, Quantum Repeaters and Device-Independent QKD

Abstract:

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Quantum Random Number Generators (QRNG) are the first applications of quantum physics at the level of individual quanta. They emerged from very fundamental research on the foundations of quantum theory, but are nowadays commercially available and clients use them daily, usually obliviously.

Today’s research in QKD and QRNG spans a broad spectrum, from very applied research aiming at developing cheaper, faster and smaller devices, all the way to abstract academic research on the deep connections with quantum non-locality. In between, quantum networks occupy a central place. Several architectures are considered, some based on optical fibers, some on free space communication, including possibly satellites. Long distance quantum networks require repeaters; a first solution consists in using “trusted node repeaters”, a more futuristic and safer solution will exploit quantum teleportation and quantum memories.

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
11:05-11:50 Prof. Artur Ekert
University of Oxford, National University of Singapore
The ultimate limits of privacy for the paranoid ones

Abstract:

Among those who make their living out of science of secrecy, worrying and paranoia are just a sign of professionalism. Can we protect our secrets against those who wield superior technological powers? Can we trust those who provide us with tools for protection? Finally, can we trust ourselves, our freedom of choice, our free will? Amazingly enough, recent developments in quantum cryptography show that some of these questions can be addressed and discussed in precise and operational terms. More than that, the field has something to offer to the most paranoid ones.

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
11:50-12:35 Prof. Vadim Makarov
University of Waterloo
How secure is quantum cryptography in practice?

Abstract:

Although quantum cryptography is based on beautiful principles, in practice the quality of implementation plays a large role. The advent of hackers in the field has revealed many imperfections and loopholes in first-generation systems. The research and manufacturing community successfully addresses these imperfections by designing better systems and protocols, albeit this process does not happen overnight. A systematic search for remaining security vulnerabilities is currently taking place. We hope that this will eventually lead to development of hacker-proof systems, and to introduction of security certification standards for quantum cryptography equipment.

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
12:35-13:20 Prof. Marek Kuś
Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw
Quantum information theory and its resources

Abstract:

Entanglement of states, a property clearly distinguishing quantum systems from classical ones is the most important resource of quantum information theory. Why it is helpful in reaching such tasks as secure communication, fast data transmission and computation speed-up? A second important and invaluable support offered by quantum mechanics and indispensable in quantum information processing is randomness. Is the quantum mechanical randomness really different from the "classical" one? Is it possible to show that quantum mechanics is "an intrinsically random theory"? How we can certify that some numbers are "truly random"?

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
End of Scientific session 1
13:20-14:20 Lunch break University cafeteria
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
Industry session 1 – invited companies
14:20-14:40 Dr. Andreas Poppe
AIT
QKD in optical fiber networks Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
14:40-15:00 IdQuantique SA Technical lecture / Product presentation Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
15:00-15:20 Dr. Marco Lucamarini
Toshiba
Efficient decoy-state quantum key distribution in the finite-size scenario Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
15:20-15:40 Dr. Kiyoshi Tamaki
NTT
Research activities in Tokyo QKD network project

Abstract:

In this talk, we will present activities in Tokyo QKD network. In the first part, we will introduce our recent long term field test of our QKD system. The second part of the talk will be devoted to theoretical approach to counter-measure side-channel issues of QKD systems, in particular to state preparation flaw in QKD systems. Crucially, the security analyses of most existing QKD experiments simply neglect this effect, and if this effect is taken into account through the well-known theoretical analyses, the key from the QKD systems becomes insecure. We introduce a novel and general approach that makes QKD robust against state preparation flaws. Importantly, it suggests that the state preparation process in QKD can be significantly less precise than initially thought. Our method can widely apply to many quantum cryptographic protocols.

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
15:40-16:00 Dr. Anton Zavriev
MagiQ Inc.
Encryption and other interesting things that you can do with a QKD apparatus

Abstract:

In my talk I will explain how MagiQ’s approach to building QKD systems evolved over the last decade. I will provide the details of QPN 8505 architecture and operation and might even describe an alternative use of QKD apparatus.

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
16:00-16:20 Dr. Paul Jouguet
SeQureNet SA
Security of Coherent States Continuous Variables Quantum Key Distribution

Abstract:

Like BB84 protocol for DVQKD, coherent states protocols are the most studied CVQKD protocols. This is because they can be implemented with standard telecommunication components. In this talk, we present the different steps of GG02 (Grosshans Grangier) coherent states protocol and emphasize performance and security aspects of its practical implementation.

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
End of Industry session 1
16:20-16:40 Coffee break University cafeteria
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
Scientific session 2 - LFPPI session
16:40-17:00 Prof. Jakub Rembieliński
University of Lodz
Testing nonlocality of relativistic quantum mechanics: Møller scattering and EPR spin correlations

Abstract:

In this lecture I discuss the relativistic correlation function in a bipartite system of two spin one-half massive particles. In particular, the Møller electron pair originating from the e−e− --> e−e− scattering of a polarized electron beam on an unpolarized target is analysed. The presented results might help in experimentally verifying whether relativistic quantum theory is able to reproduce the behaviour of real quantum systems.

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
17:00-17:20 Prof. Marek Czachor
Gdańsk University of Technology
Bell inequality and entanglement with vacuum in alternative approaches to field quantization

Abstract:

Violation of the Bell inequality inequality and entanglement with vacuum are often associated with "one oscillator per one mode" field quantization. But what about different approaches? It turns out that Bell's inequality is less sensitive to the form of field quantization than entanglement with vacuum. Actually, the latter concept turns out to be ill posed when viewed from the more general perspective.

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
17:20-17:40 Dr. Witold Jacak
Wroclaw University of Technology, NLTK
Wroclaw QKD metropolitan network and plans for QSDC implementation

Abstract:

NLTK at WUT holds a unique posisiton among similar laboratories by hosting both non-entanglement and entanglement quantum cryptography R&D systems. This enables complementary research of QKD deployment in practical network scenarios (in metropolitan infrastructure) with issues of telecom fibers sharing, decoherence, network topologies and different technologies interoperability. Important direction within NLTK research focuses on extending entanglement based QKD setups into experimental deployment of QSDC protocols. Theoretical work encompasses investigating relation between superdense coding based non-local secure communication and QKD.

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
End of Scientific session 2
18:00 Transfer of guests to hotels Entrance to main auditorium
(A-1 building, WUT)
19:30 Dinner at the city old square Wrocław city old square,
Restaurant “Dwór Polski”,
Rynek 5

2nd day - 28th January (Tuesday)

Time Speaker Title/Description Location
Parallel session
10:00-12:15 NLTK WUT, CompSecur Training session for business and administration in Polish language ("Prace badawcze w kryptografii kwantowej") room 241
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
Scientific session 3 - oral contributions
10:00-10:15 Dr. Piotr Kolenderski
Nicolaus Copernicus University
University of Waterloo
Photon pairs for long distance quantum communication
Thomas Lutz, Piotr Kolenderski, Thomas Jennewein

Abstract:

The frequency correlation (or decorrelation) of photon pairs is of great importance in long-range quantum communications and photonic quantum computing. We experimentally characterize a spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC) source, based on a Beta-Barium Borate (BBO) crystal cut for type-II phase matching at 1550 nm which has the capability to emit photons with positive or no spectral correlations.

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
10:15-10:30 Dr. Luis A. Lizama-Perez
Centro Nacional de Metrologia
Tecnologico de Monterrey
A Quantum Key Distribution protocol with parallel and non-orthogonal quantum states
Luis A. Lizama-Perez, J. Mauricio Lopez, Eduardo De Carlos Lopez, Salvador E. Venegas-Andraca

Abstract:

We introduce the ack-QKD protocol based on parallel and non-orthogonal states which is a generalization of the well known BB84. The main difference between them is that the ack-QKD protocol uses two quantum flows, from parallel and non-orthogonal states, instead of the non-orthogonal states as BB84. Parallel and non-orthogonal states cannot be separated under the usual quantum basis measurement thus allowing the ack-QKD resilient to the intercept-resend attack with faked sates.

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
10:30-10:45 Dr. Ravishankar Ramanathan
National Quantum Information Centre in Gdansk
University of Gdansk
Robust Device-Independent Randomness Amplification with Few Devices
Fernando G. S. L. Brandao, Ravishankar Ramanathan, Andrzej Grudka, Karol Horodecki, Michal Horodecki, Pawel Horodecki

Abstract:

Randomness amplification is the task of transforming a source of somewhat random bits into a source of fully random bits. Although it is impossible to amplify randomness from a single source by classical means, the situation is different when considering non-local correlations allowed by quantum mechanics. Here we give the first device-independent protocol for randomness amplification using a constant number of devices. The protocol involves eight devices, can amplify any non-deterministic source into a fully random source, tolerates a constant rate of error, and has its correctness based solely on the assumption of no-signaling between the devices. In contrast, all previous protocols either required an infinite number of devices, or could only amplify sources sufficiently close to fully random.

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
10:45-11:00 Dr. Nicola Laurenti
University of Padua
Experimental QKD with finite-key security analysis for noisy channels
Davide Bacco, Matteo Canale, Nicola Laurenti, Giuseppe Vallone, Paolo Villoresi

Abstract:

In QKD implementations, each session is typically chosen long enough so that the secret key rate approaches its asymptotic limit. However, this choice may be constrained by the physical scenario, as in the perspective use with satellites, where the passage of one terminal over the other is restricted to a few minutes, and channel losses due to large distances severely limit the achievable sifted key rate. Here we demonstrate experimentally the extraction of secure keys leveraging an optimal design of an efficient BB84 prepare-and-measure scheme, according to recent finite-key theoretical tight bounds. The experiment is performed in different channel conditions, and assuming two distinct attack models: individual attacks, or general quantum attacks. We evaluate the experimental key rates as a function of the sifted key size, the environment quantum BER, and the probability of the minority basis. The results indicate that viable conditions for effective symmetric, and even one-time-pad, cryptography are achievable, and that when the length of sifted keys is limited far below the asymptotic regime, a tradeoff between the sifted key rate and eavesdrop detection capability must be sought by adjusting the two basis probabilities in the protocol.

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
11:00-11:15 Dr. Jacek Adamski
Polish National Centre of Cryptology
National Centre of Cryptology. Polish approach to a systemic solution.

Abstract:

Contemporary military security of a state heavily depends on efficient protection of information pertaining to military and defence issues in the whole spectrum of organizational and functional structures and decision bodies, from the level of the leadership of the state, defence ministry and armed forces to the troops’ tactical level. Usage of national and unique solutions in the field of cryptographical protection has the key importance for keeping information secure. There was not an institution responsible for overall activities in this area in Polish defence sphere up to 2013. This gap was filled with the creation of the National Centre of Cryptology, a specialized unit within the MOD. It is responsible for a creation of the modern, strictly Polish cryptographical solutions, both software and hardware, in cooperation with Polish universities and research centre as well as with Polish industries.

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
11:15-11:30 Dr. Roman Ozhegov
Moscow State Pedagogical University
CJSC Superconducting nanotechnology
Polarization state reconstruction and measurement over 300 km performed with a superconducting single photon receiver.
R. Ozhegov, A. Divochiy, V. Kovalyuk, Yu. Vahtomin, M. Elezov, K. Smirnov, G. Goltsman, Yu. Kurochkin, V. Kurochkin

Abstract:

We present a results of polarization state reconstruction and measurement over 300 km. The reciving system was designed as cryogen-free and included the compact low power cold head SRDK-101D and an optimized cryostat. The main elements of the registration system were SSPDs. SSPDs will provide quantum key distribution at long distances owing to their high quantum efficiency, low dark counts, and picosecond timing jitter. With a length of the quantum channels of 302.4 km the bitrate was about 7 bps at 5.1% QBER.

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
11:30-11:45 Dr. Nicola Laurenti
University of Padua
SaNeQKD: a design optimization for QKD in a GNSS intersatellite network
Francesca Gerlin, Nicola Laurenti, Giampiero Naletto, Giuseppe Vallone, Paolo Villoresi, Luciana Bonino, Sergio Mottini, Zoran Sodnik

Abstract:

We present the results of a feasibility study on the application of QKD links to a GNSS network with reference to the Galileo architecture. We derive specifications for an inter-satellite QKD network and evaluate its expected performance in terms of achievable key lengths. In order to allow efficient and secure connections among all satellites, it is desirable that the QKD network has a high degree of connectivity. However the mass and volume limitations on satellite payloads prevent equipping each node with several distinct transceivers. Therefore, a tradeoff must be sought between loading each satellite with the fewest possible transceivers and yet allowing sufficient connection redundancy for reliable, safe and secure QKD in the network. By exploiting the time intervals where two satellites in different orbital planes get closest, sufficient key rates and a high degree of connectivity in the QKD network could be achieved, even if every satellite is equipped with just one telescope and . In fact, the resulting network has four disjoint paths joining any pair of nodes and is thus robust against up to three failing nodes or links, and with respect to one byzantine adversary node.

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
11:45-12:00 Dr. Eleni Diamanti
LTCI, CNRS – Telecom ParisTech
Practical security of continuous-variable quantum key distribution systems
Paul Jouguet, Sébastien Kunz-Jacques, Eleni Diamanti

Abstract:

The distribution of secret keys with information-theoretic security is one of the most important achievements of the field of quantum information processing and communications. Encoding the key information on continuous variables, such as the values of quadrature components of coherent states, presents the major advantage that implementations require only standard telecommunication technology, albeit at the expense of complex post-processing procedures. Recent experiments have shown that continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CVQKD) can be implemented over long distances, even when finite size effects are taken into account. The security of such systems, however, can be compromised by deviations of practical implementations from the underlying theoretical models, which can be exploited by an eavesdropper. The issue of the practical security of quantum key distribution systems has been extensively studied in the case of QKD protocols relying on properties of single photons, while some attacks are also known for continuous-variable QKD. Here we consider device calibration attacks for CVQKD. These arise from a subtle link between the phase reference (or, local oscillator) calibration procedure and the clock generation procedure in practical CVQKD setups using Gaussian modulation of coherent states and homodyne detection. We show that combining this security loophole with intercept-resend attacks can significantly compromise the security of continuous-variable QKD in the absence of appropriate countermeasures. We also study the possibility of performing Trojan horse attacks on CVQKD systems and examine the impact of the imperfect modulation of the coherent states to the security of the implementation. Finally, we propose a powerful countermeasure against a general class of attacks relying on real-time shot noise measurements. Given the relevance of CVQKD technology for high-performance secure communications, this work highlights the importance of rigorously testing and assuring the practical security of current implementations.

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
12:00-12:15 Dr. Nicolae Enaki
Institute of Applied Physics
of Academy of Sciences of Moldova
Two-photon Holograms and Possibilities to Apply it in Modern Cryptography
Nicolae Enaki, Tudor Rosca

Abstract:

...
This report is devoted to applications of coherent emission of two subgroups of photons, the summer (or difference) energies of which can be regarded as a constant so that coherence appear between the blocs of the product of two electromagnetic field strength. As it was shown recently, spatial-Multimode broadband squeezed light can generate coherent states of the bimodal electromagnetic field observed in photon counting experiment the statistics of which are regular not only in time, but in the plane of observation too. The application of second order space-time coherence of light formed from entangled photons in holography and lithography follows from the definition of the quantum states of such bimodal fields.
...

Aula - main auditorium
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
End of Scientific session 3
12:15-13:15 Lunch break University cafeteria
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
Industry session 2 (also fulfilling role of hands-on QKD demonstrations)
13:15-13:40 AIT
Dr. Andreas Poppe
Entanglement based QKD room 322
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
13:40-14:05 IdQuantique SA Technical lecture / Demonstration of non-entanglement QKD / hands-on room 322
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
14:05-14:30 Toshiba Technical lecture room 322
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
14:30-14:55 NTT Technical lecture room 322
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
14:55-15:20 SeQureNet SA
Dr. Sébastien Kunz-Jacques
Present and Future of SeQureNet Products: CVQKD as a Cheap, Easy-to-deploy QKD Technology

Abstract:

In this talk, we will review the features of the current implementation of coherent-state CVQKD from SeQureNet, Cygnus, and its perspectives of evolution. We will discuss the practical security of CVQKD and QKD in general, and show that CVQKD is a competitive technology in the QKD landscape both in terms of cost and versatility.

room 322
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
15:20-15:45 MagiQ Inc. Technical lecture / Demonstration of non-entanglement QKD / hands-on room 322
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
15:45-16:10 NLTK WUT, CompSecur Technical lecture / Demonstration of non-entanglement QKD and entanglement QKD / hands-on room 322
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
End of Industry session 2
16:10-16:40 Coffee break with poster session (with networking reception) University cafeteria
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
Summary and discussion
16:40-18:00 Discussion panel and closing of the symposium
Also including establishment of the local CMQCRD (Consortium for Monitoring of Quantum Cryptography Research and Developement) and discusion of prospects for international cooperation with leading research centers and commercial companies in scope of QKD development
room 241
(2nd floor, A-1 building, WUT)
13:00-15:00
after lunch
Excursion to 'Panorama of the Battle of Racławice' cyclorama exhibition TBA


Location

seQre2014 Symposium will be held at the Wrocław University of Technology:

Wrocław University of Technology
A-1 buidling
Institute of Physics
Wyb. Wyspiańskiego 27
50-370 Wrocław, Poland



Symposium will be held in the main auditorium and laboratories of A-1 building of Wrocław University of Technology.