LANL says researchers have developed rock-solid quantum cryptography for …

QKarD transmitter

Researchers at the Los Alamos Nuclear Laboratory have developed a miniature transmitter that can bring strong security to handheld devices like tablet computers or smart phones and could replace a range of security systems, including those at border crossings.

The laboratory said on Jan. 20 that it had developed a miniature transmitter that communicates with a trusted authority to generate random cryptographic keys to encode and decode information. Researchers at the lab said the technology was "an impenetrable line of defense" called the QKarD (Quantum Smart Card that loads quantum cryptography onto a smart card or smart phone.

 QKarD, which researches said is the result of 18 years of research at LANL, uses a new type of symmetric key distribution, known as quantum cryptography or quantum key distribution, based on the quantum mechanical laws of physics. The technology has many advantages over other key distribution methods, they said, because the laws of quantum physics and information theory ensure the keys never can be cracked, regardless of advancements in computer technology.

QKarD could replace current security systems for banking, online transactions, access to secure facilities, border crossings, digital rights management controls, and electronic voting. It is simpler and more affordable than other systems, said researchers.

Jane Nordholt, Richard Hughes, Raymond Newell, and Charles Peterson of LANL’s Applied Modern Physics group and Kevin McCabe, Nicholas Dallman, and Kush Tyagi of LANL’s Space Instrumentation System group designed QKarD, according to LANL.

 To encrypt and decrypt messages, typical cryptographic algorithms require the sender and receiver each have the same secret keys to determine how their cryptographic functions operate mathematically, they explained. Asymmetric key delivery is commonly used today and is based on difficult mathematical problems, they said. Its security cannot be guaranteed and it can be difficult for a small device to perform the required mathematics. Quantum key distribution uses polarized single photons to generate and distribute secret keys with higher security and much lower computational requirements, they said.

However, the researchers added that current quantum key distribution systems are bulky, rack-mounted systems that require dedicated fiber optic lines to connect users within limited distances. Second lines carry other optical signals needed for the protocol information and the secured data. QKarD, they said doesn't require a second line, and minimizes the technology to fit into smaller devices, like smartphones. QKarD can be used whether the device is plugged into a charging/docking station or is mobile, they said.

According to the researches, the QKarD miniature transmitter communicates with a trusted authority to generate random cryptographic keys to encode and decode information. To make a secure phone call on a smartphone, User A would first be authenticated with a password and perhaps biometric readings. User A would then dial the number of User B, a person with a QKarD. If User B is in User A's nonsecret lookup table, the QKarD uses its secret keys to set up a secure call. If User B's information is not in User A's lookup table, the QKarD calls the trusted authority via a normal cellular call and uses a QKarD key to encrypt the key that the trusted authority will apply to the phone call.

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