Best-Practice Criteria for Practical Security of Self-Differencing Avalanche Photodiode Detectors in Quantum Key Distribution
A. Koehler-Sidki, J. F. Dynes, Marco Lucamarini, George L. Roberts, A. W. Sharpe, Zhiliang L. Yuan, Andrew J. Shields · Physical Review Applied · 2018
Although quantum key distribution (QKD) promises information-theoretic security that can never be hacked, several studies have investigated how its security can be compromised by targeting the detectors in the system. Have they found truly fundamental problems with the physics of the scheme, or merely sloppy implementation? This study seeks to define best-practice criteria for these detectors, to distinguish between genuine loopholes and incorrect operation. The authors show that if these directions are followed, many of the attacks previously demonstrated simply do not work---bringing this technology a big step closer to everyday life.