Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Anonymous communication protocol over quantum networks

  • Published:
Quantum Information Processing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We propose a W state-based protocol for anonymously transmitting quantum messages in a quantum network. Different from the existing protocols [A. Unnikrishnan, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 240501 (2019)], the proposed protocol can be effectively implemented in the network only equipped with quantum channels and regular broadcast channels. Throughout the design procedure, we develop three sub-protocols using the W state, including the quantum collision detection protocol and the quantum notification protocol. Moreover, together with the conventional anonymous entanglement protocol, the whole anonymous communication protocol has been constructed. Finally, we examine the correctness and security of the proposed quantum anonymous communication protocol.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability Statement

Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

References

  1. Federrath, H.: Designing Privacy Enhancing Technologies. (Springer, Berkeley, 2000)

  2. Zhu, T., Feng, D., Wang, F., Hua, Y., Shi, Q., Liu, J., Cheng, Y., Wan, Y.: Efficient anonymous communication in SDN-based data center networks. IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking 25, 3767–3780 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Lai, R.W.F., Cheung, K., Chow, S.S.M., So, A.M.: Another look at anonymous communication. IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing 16, 731–742 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Hayashi, M.: Quantum Information Theory: Mathematical Foundation (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 2017)

  5. Watrous, J.: The theory of quantum information. (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2018)

  6. Parra-Rodriguez, A., Lougovski, P., Lamata, L., Solano, E., Sanz, M.: Digital-analog quantum computation. Physical Review A 101, 022305 (2020)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  7. Zhou, L., Sheng, Y.B., Long, G.L.: Device-independent quantum secure direct communication against collective attacks. Science Bulletin 65, 12–20 (2020)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Pirandola, S., Andersen, U.L., Banchi, L., Berta, M., Bunandar, D., Colbeck, R., Englund, D., Gehring, T., Lupo, C., Ottaviani, C., Pereira, J.L., Razavi, M., Shamsul Shaari, J., Tomamichel, M., Usenko, V.C., Vallone, G., Villoresi, P., Wallden, P.: Advances in quantum cryptography. Advances in Optics and Photonics 12, 1012–1236 (2020)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Yang, Y.-G., Liu, X.-X., Gao, S., Zhou, Y.-H., Shi, W.-M., Li, J., Li, D.: Towards practical anonymous quantum communication: a measurement-device-independent approach. Physical Review A 104, 052415 (2021)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  10. Lin, S., Guo, G.D., Huang, F., Liu, X.F.: Quantum anonymous ranking based on the chinese remainder theorem. Physical Review A 93, 012318 (2016)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Wang, Q., Li, Y., Yu, C., He, H., Zhang, K.: Quantum anonymous ranking and selection with verifiability. Quantum Information Processing 19, 166 (2020)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  12. Li, Y.-R., Jiang, D.-H., Liang, X.-Q.: A novel quantum anonymous ranking protocol. Quantum Information Processing 20, 342 (2021)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  13. Wang, Q., Yu, C., Gao, F., Qi, H., Wen, Q.: Self-tallying quantum anonymous voting. Physical Review A 94, 022333 (2016)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Jiang, D.H., Wang, J., Liang, X.Q., Xu, G.B., Qi, H.F.: Quantum voting scheme based on locally indistinguishable orthogonal product states. International Journal of Theoretical Physics 59, 436–444 (2020)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  15. Wang, Q., Liu, J., Li, Y., Yu, C., Pan, S.: Quantum Bell states-based anonymous voting with anonymity trace. Quantum Information Processing 20, 142 (2021)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  16. Shi, R., Zhang, M.: Privacy-preserving quantum sealed-bid auction based on Grover’s search algorithm. Scientific Reports 9, 7626 (2019)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Shi, R.-H.: Quantum sealed-Bid auction without a trusted third party. IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I: Regular Papers 68, 4221–4231 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Xu, Y., Li, Z., Wang, C., Zhu, H.: Quantum sealed-bid auction protocol for simultaneous ascending auction with GHZ states. Quantum Information Processing 20, 232 (2021)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  19. Christandl, M., Wehner, S.: Quantum anonymous transmissions, in Advances in Cryptology-ASIACRYPT 2005, edited by B. Roy, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol 4833(Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, 2005), pp. 217–235

  20. Wang, T.Y., Wen, Q.Y., Zhu, F.C.: Economical quantum anonymous transmissions, Journal of Physics B-atomic Molecular and Optical. Physics 43, 245501 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Yang, W., Huang, L., Song, F.: Privacy preserving quantum anonymous transmission via entanglement relay. Scientific Reports 6, 26762 (2016)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Lipinska, V., Murta, G., Wehner, S.: Anonymous transmission in a noisy quantum network using the W state. Physical Review A 98, 052320 (2018)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Unnikrishnan, A., MacFarlane, I.J., Yi, R., Diamanti, E., Markham, D., Kerenidis, I.: Anonymity for practical quantum networks. Physical Review Letters 122, 240501 (2019)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. Yang, Y.G., Yang, Y.L., Lv, X.L., Zhou, Y.H., Shi, W.M.: Examining the correctness of anonymity for practical quantum networks. Physical Review A 101, 062411 (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Thalacker, C., Hahn, F., de Jong, J., Pappa, A., Barz, S.: Anonymous and secret communication in quantum networks. New Journal of Physics 23(8), 083026 (2021)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. Broadbent, A., Tapp, A.: Information-theoretic security without an honest majority, in Advances in Cryptology-ASIACRYPT 2007, edited by K. Kurosawa, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol 4833(Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, 2007), pp. 410–426

  27. Khan, A., Khalid, U., ur Rehman, J., Lee, K., Shin, H.: Quantum anonymous collision detection for quantum networks. EPJ Quantum Technology 8, 27 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Khan, A., ur Rehman, J., Shin, H.: Quantum anonymous notification for network-based applications. Quantum Information Processing 20, 392 (2021)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  29. Brassard, G., Broadbent, A., Fitzsimons, J., Gambs, S., Tapp, A.: Anonymous quantum communication, in Advances in Cryptology-ASIACRYPT 2007, edited by Kurosawa, K.: Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol 4833(Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, 2007), pp. 460–473

  30. Pirandola, S., Eisert, J., Weedbrook, C., Furusawa, A., Braunstein, S.L.: Advances in quantum teleportation. Nature Photonics 9, 641–652 (2015)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  31. Cacciapuoti, A.S., Caleffi, M., Van Meter, R., Hanzo, L.: When entanglement meets classical communications: quantum teleportation for the quantum internet. IEEE Transactions on Communications 68, 3808–3833 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Menicucci, N.C., Baragiola, B.Q., Demarie, T.F., Brennen, G.K.: Anonymous broadcasting of classical information with a continuous-variable topological quantum code. Physical Review A 97, 032345 (2018)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  33. Goldreich, O.: Foundations of Cryptography: volume 2, Basic Applications. (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2009)

  34. Broadbent, A.: Delegating private quantum computations. Canadian Journal of Physics 93, 941–946 (2015)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  35. Katz, J., Lindell, Y.: Introduction to Modern Cryptography(CRC Press. New Youk, USA (2020)

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grants 61873317, 61773359, and 61720106009.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Guangxi Key Laboratory of Intelligent Control and Maintenance of Power Equipment, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China

    Beili Gong & Fang Gao

  2. School of Automation Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510641, China

    Wei Cui

Authors
  1. Beili Gong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Fang Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Wei Cui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wei Cui.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gong, B., Gao, F. & Cui, W. Anonymous communication protocol over quantum networks. Quantum Inf Process 21, 99 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11128-022-03445-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11128-022-03445-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation