Authors : Podinala Sharonjyoshna; S. Surekha

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 7 - July

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/2pwfnvfm

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/3m46nxkc

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jul1740

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : Quantum Key Distribution is theoretically possible secure communication through the use of quantum-mechanical principles, such as superposition, measurement disturbance, and others. The BB84 and E91 protocols provide security by leveraging quantum principles against classical eavesdropping; nevertheless, the current implementation of QKD is vulnerable to photon-number-splitting attacks, imperfections in the devices used, and environmental quantum noise. Improving practical resistance to all of those is crucial for providing secure real-life use of QKD. Extending the current state-of-the-art through further development of research on eavesdropper detection and improvement of qubit-based security mechanisms, this research aims to develop the state-of-the art further by introducing a decoy-state BB84 framework and analyzing the behavior of such a system under realistic quantum noise. To find solutions to these problems, the current research will try to adopt the decoy-state BB84 model and analyze the system behavior under realistic quantum noise scenarios. So, the proposed approach, a standard BB84 protocol, will first be formulated and then further enhanced with decoy-state pulse generation to handle the vulnerabilities due to multi-photon pulses. Models like depolarizing noise, amplitude damping, and measurement errors will be used as real-world quantum channels. The model performance will be measured in terms of various performance metrics such as Key agreement ratio, Quantum Bit Error rate, and secure key rate for different qubit lengths. Scalability analysis and validation based on IBM quantum hardware will also be performed in order to measure the impact of real-world device noise on the reliability of generated keys.

Keywords : Quantum Key Distribution, E91 Protocol, Photon Number Splitting Attack, BB84 Protocol, Eavesdropping Detection.

References :

1. C. Lee, I. Sohn, and W. Lee, "Eavesdropping detection in BB84 quantum key distribution protocols," IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 2689–2701, Sept. 2022.
2. Y. Begimbayeva and T. Zhaxalykov, "Research of quantum key distribution protocols: BB84, B92, E91," in Proc. International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies, 2022.
3. J. S. Nojun and D. S. Lauri, "Security analysis of BB84 QKD protocol under intercept-resend attack," Journal of Quantum Communications, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 112–128, 2023.
4. H. J. Kim and S. M. Park, "Performance comparison of QKD protocols in fiber optic networks," Quantum Network Review, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 45–59, 2021.
5. L. Chen and W. Wang, "Quantum cryptography: A review of eavesdropping detection methods," Security and Communication Networks, vol. 2024, p. e10245, 2024.
6. R. Gupta and A. Sharma, "Optimization of quantum resource consumption in QKD systems," IEEE Communications Letters, vol. 26, no. 8, pp. 1843–1847, 2022.
7. C. H. Bennett and G. Brassard, “Quantum cryptography: Public key distribution and coin tossing,” Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Computers, Systems and Signal Processing, 1984.
8. D. Mayers, “Unconditional security in quantum cryptography,” Journal of the ACM, vol. 48, no. 3, pp. 351–406, 2001.
9. H.-K. Lo, X. Ma, and K. Chen, “Decoy state quantum key distribution,” Physical Review Letters, vol. 94, no. 23, 2005.
10. X. Ma, B. Qi, Y. Zhao, and H.-K. Lo, “Practical decoy state for quantum key distribution,” Physical Review A, vol. 72, 2005.
11. N. Gisin, G. Ribordy, W. Tittel, and H. Zbinden, “Quantum cryptography,” Reviews of Modern Physics, vol. 74, pp. 145–195, 2002.
12. V. Scarani et al., “The security of practical quantum key distribution,” Reviews of Modern Physics, vol. 81, pp. 1301–1350, 2009.
13. M. Koashi, “Simple security proof of quantum key distribution based on complementarity,” arXiv preprint, 2004.
14. H.-K. Lo and J. Preskill, “Security of quantum key distribution using weak coherent states,” Quantum Information & Computation, 2007.
15. M. Lucamarini et al., “Overcoming the rate-distance limit of quantum key distribution without quantum repeaters,” Nature, 2018.
16. C. H. Bennett, “Quantum cryptography using any two nonorthogonal states,” Physical Review Letters, 1992.