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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.11239 |
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| _version_ | 1866908619393466368 |
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| author | Fadeev, Maxim Ponosova, Anastasiya Peng, Qingquan Huang, Anqi Shakhovoy, Roman Makarov, Vadim |
| author_facet | Fadeev, Maxim Ponosova, Anastasiya Peng, Qingquan Huang, Anqi Shakhovoy, Roman Makarov, Vadim |
| contents | We report a new type of vulnerability in practical implementations of quantum key distribution systems. We show that it is possible to increase the pulse energy of a source laser diode not only by injection-locking it by external light near its emission wavelength of 1550 nm, but also by optically pumping it at a much shorter wavelength. We demonstrate 10% increase in pulse energy when exposing the laser diode to 1310-nm, 1.6-mW cw laser light via its fiber pigtail. This may allow an eavesdropper to steal the secret key. A possible countermeasure is to install broadband optical filters and isolators at the source's output and characterise them during the security certification. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_11239 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Optical-pumping attack on a quantum key distribution laser source Fadeev, Maxim Ponosova, Anastasiya Peng, Qingquan Huang, Anqi Shakhovoy, Roman Makarov, Vadim Quantum Physics We report a new type of vulnerability in practical implementations of quantum key distribution systems. We show that it is possible to increase the pulse energy of a source laser diode not only by injection-locking it by external light near its emission wavelength of 1550 nm, but also by optically pumping it at a much shorter wavelength. We demonstrate 10% increase in pulse energy when exposing the laser diode to 1310-nm, 1.6-mW cw laser light via its fiber pigtail. This may allow an eavesdropper to steal the secret key. A possible countermeasure is to install broadband optical filters and isolators at the source's output and characterise them during the security certification. |
| title | Optical-pumping attack on a quantum key distribution laser source |
| topic | Quantum Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.11239 |