What is Quantum Key Distribution (QKD)? Know its significance, benefits and loopholes here

Why in News?

Recently Quantum Key Distribution, QKD technology by Defence Research and Development Organisation, DRDO had undergone trials between two laboratories in Hyderabad. Here the quantum technology-based security was validated for a range of 12 km over a fibre optic channel.

What is Quantum Key Distribution? 

Quantum Key Dynamics is a mechanism to develop secure communication. It utilises a cryptographic protocol that involves components of quantum mechanics. 

Through this technology, two communicating sides come up with different random secret keys which are known exclusively to them. Only they can use it to encrypt and decrypt messages, thus achieving highly-secure communication.

What is the Uniqueness of QKD

A unique property of quantum key distribution lies in the ability of the two communicating users detecting the presence of any third party trying to break into their knowledge of ‘key’.

This can be deduced from the fundamental aspect of quantum mechanics that is when the process of measuring a quantum system generally disturbs the system.

Benefits of QKD Technology

1. The technology would be useful in enabling various start-ups and small and medium enterprises in the domain of quantum information.
2. It is expected to create a definition of standards and formulate crypto technology-related policies.
3. QKD system can be used in a unified Cipher Policy Committee (CPC) framework in India for more secure key management of various military cryptographic systems.

Loopholes in QKD

The major drawback of Quantum Key Distribution, QKD is it relying on an authenticated classical channel of communications. In modern cryptography, having an authenticated classical channel means that either any symmetric key of sufficient length has already been exchanged or public keys of sufficient security level are there. When such information is already available, anyone can achieve secure communication without using QKD. This can also be done by using the Galois/Counter Mode of the Advanced Encryption Standard.

Quantum key distribution is only used to produce and distribute a key but it cannot be used to transmit any message data. Also Read| Public Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI): Objectives, Process, Significance, and Benefits

The concept of quantum key distribution (QKD) was first proposed in the 1970s. However, it wasn’t until the 1980s that it came into notice. The idea took until the 1990s to make the connection to entanglement, that physicists started to get really interested. Since then the progress has been remarkable and it is now perhaps the most mature quantum technology, being available for almost 2 decades. The world’s first portable ground station for transfer of secure quantum communications is successfully connected to China’s Quantum Science Satellite, also called Mozi, which was launched in August 2016.