On the security of the Kirchhoff-law-Johnson-noise (KLJN) communicator

Abstract

A simple and general proof is given for the information theoretic (unconditional) security of the Kirchhoff-law-Johnson-noise (KLJN) key exchange system under practical conditions. The unconditional security for ideal circumstances, which is based on the Second Law of Thermodynamics, is found to prevail even under slightly non-ideal conditions. This security level is guaranteed by the continuity of functions describing classical physical linear, as well as stable non-linear, systems. Even without privacy amplification, Eve's probability for successful bit-guessing is found to converge towards 0.5 - i.e., the perfect security level - when ideal conditions are approached.

4 pages

References in corpus (4)

• Current and voltage based bit errors and their combined mitigation for the Kirchhoff-law-Johnson-noise secure key exchange
• Incompleteness and Limit of Quantum Key Distribution Theory
• Reply to recent scepticism about the foundations of quantum cryptography
• Essential lack of security proof in quantum key distribution

Cited by in corpus (22)

• Critical analysis of the Bennett-Riedel attack on secure cryptographic key distributions via the Kirchhoff-law-Johnson-noise scheme
• Generalized Kirchhoff-Law-Johnson-Noise (KLJN) secure key exchange system using arbitrary resistors
• Do electromagnetic waves exist in a short cable at low frequencies? What does physics say?
• Elimination of a Second-Law-attack, and all cable-resistance-based attacks, in the Kirchhoff-law-Johnson-noise (KLJN) secure key exchange system
• Random-resistor-random-temperature Kirchhoff-law-Johnson-noise (RRRT-KLJN) key exchange
• On KLJN-based secure key distribution in vehicular communication networks
• Analysis of an attenuator artifact in an experimental attack by Gunn-Allison-Abbott against the Kirchhoff-law-Johnson-noise (KLJN) secure key exchange system
• Resource requirements and speed versus geometry of unconditionally secure physical key exchanges
• Comments on the "Generalized" KLJN Key Exchanger with Arbitrary Resistors: Power, Impedance, Security
• Cable Capacitance Attack against the KLJN Secure Key Exchange
• Comments On "A New Transient Attack On The Kish Key Distribution System"
• Enhanced usage of keys obtained by physical, unconditionally secure distributions
• Deterministic Random Number Generator Attack against the Kirchhoff-Law-Johnson-Noise Secure Key Exchange Protocol
• AC Loop Current Attacks Against The KLJN Secure Key Exchange Scheme
• Generalized DC loop current attack against the KLJN secure key exchange scheme
• Perspective -- On the thermodynamics of perfect unconditional security
• Crypto analysis of the key distribution scheme using noise-free resistances
• Unconditionally Secure Wireless-Wired Ground-Satellite-Ground Communication Networks Utilizing Classical and Quantum Noise
• Smart Grids Secured By Dynamic Watermarking: How Secure?
• Unconditionally secure credit/debit card chip scheme and physical unclonable function
• Nonlinearity Attack against the Kirchhoff-Law-Johnson-Noise (KLJN) Secure Key Exchange Protocol
• From cold resistor to secure key exchanger