Hacking Quantum Cryptography: Quantum Key Distribution Weaknesses

The Promise of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD)

Quantum cryptography promises information-theoretically secure key exchange based on the fundamental physics of quantum mechanics and the no-cloning theorem.

Deconstructing the BB84 Protocol

Marina explains how Alice and Bob exchange polarized photons over optical fiber to establish secret cryptographic keys while detecting eavesdropper presence.

Exploiting Physical Imperfections in Quantum Hardware

The speaker demonstrates how attackers exploit practical hardware limitations—including photon number splitting on faint laser pulses and detector blinding attacks.

Optical Side Channels and Hardware Countermeasures

The presentation reviews spatial filtering, decoy state protocols, and measurement-device-independent QKD architectures to mitigate physical exploits.