Practical Security of Continuous Variable Quantum Key Distribution Ascribable to Imperfect Modulator for Fiber Channel

Abstract

An amplitude modulator plays an essential role in the implementation of continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CVQKD), whereas it may bring about a potential security loophole in the practical system. The high-frequency modulation of the actual transmitter usually results in the high rate of the system. However, an imperfect amplitude modulator (AM) can give birth to a potential information leakage from the modulation of the transmitter. To reveal a potential security loophole from the high-frequency AM embedded in the transmitter, we demonstrate an influence on the practical security of the system in terms of the secret key rate and maximal transmission distance. The results indicate the risk of this security loophole in the imperfect AM-embedded transmitter. Fortunately, the legal participants can trace back the potential information leakage that has been produced from the imperfect transmitter at high frequencies, which can be used for defeating the leakage attack in CVQKD. We find the limitations of the imperfect AM-embedded transmitter of the high-frequency quantum system, and hence, we have to trade off the practical security and the modulation frequency of the AM-embedded transmitter while considering its implementation in a practical environment.