Vulnerability of the Synchronization Process in the Quantum Key Distribution System

2. Quantum Key Distribution Systems

In 2007, the methods of quantum cryptography were first applied in a large-scale project. Quantum security system, developed by the Swiss company idQuantique, was used to transmit voting data at the parliamentary elections in Geneva. To date, really functioning quantum communication systems have been created. The efforts of developers are now aimed at increasing the communication range, increasing the speed of forming a quantum key, improving the characteristics of fiber-optic components.

As noted earlier, a symmetric cryptosystem generates a shared secret key and distributes it among legitimate users to encrypt and decrypt messages (Rumyantsev & Pijokin, 2015) . An attacker attempting to investigate transmitted data can’t measure photons without distorting the original message. The system on the open channel compares and discusses signals transmitted on the quantum channel, thereby verifying them for the possibility of interception. If the system does not contain errors, then the transmitted information can be considered securely distributed and secret, despite all the technical capabilities that a cryptanalyst can use.