The purpose of this conference is to provide a technical forum for discussions in the latest developments in quantum-physics-based information security. Traditional approaches to information security rely on mathematical relationships associated with encryption keys and encryption algorithms to achieve practical security. Quantum computing is considered to be an emerging threat to these classical techniques. In principle, quantum key distribution with a one-time pad cipher provides a solution in the form of on-demand key generation and encryption that is indistinguishable from randomness and therefore fundamentally secure. Information-theory-based analyses consider both fundamental and practical issues to quantify the true security of such systems.
Quantum cryptography technologies have become sufficiently mature to experience commercialization in recent years, particularly for fiber network applications. There are, however, many challenges in developing this technology to a position where it can provide practical and provable security in defence applications. Quantum bit rates and fiber-link distances are presently small relative to those achieved in classical optical communications. The implications of non-ideal photon sources and detectors are to be considered and implementation over free-space quantum channels creates new challenges associated with unguided propagation, atmospheric turbulence, and background noise.
'''Conference Chairs'''
Mark T. Gruneisen, Air Force Research Lab. (USA); Miloslav Dusek, Palacký Univ. Olomouc (Czech Republic); John G. Rarity, Univ. of Bristol (United Kingdom)
'''Program Committee'''
Robert W. Boyd, Univ. of Ottawa (Canada); Richard J. Hughes, Los Alamos National Lab. (USA); Gregory S. Kanter, NuCrypt LLC (USA); Prem Kumar, Northwestern Univ. (USA); Norbert Lütkenhaus, Univ. of Waterloo (Canada); Ronald E. Meyers, U.S. Army Research Lab. (USA); Jane E. Nordholt, Los Alamos National Lab. (USA); Momtchii Peev, Austrian Research Ctrs. GmbH (Austria); Renato Renner, ETH Zurich (Switzerland); Andrew J. Shields, Toshiba Research Europe Ltd. (United Kingdom); Rupert Ursin, Univ. Wien (Austria)
Original papers are sought on, but not restricted to the following topics:
* quantum cryptography including quantum key distribution and quantum data encryption
* security analysis including attacks on quantum cryptographic systems
* quantum computing threats to cryptography
* network solutions for quantum cryptography
* propagation through fiber and free-space optical links
* earth-satellite and satellite-satellite links
* entanglement in quantum cryptography
* signals processing and computer architectures for quantum cryptographic systems
* protocols and algorithms
* new approaches to quantum cryptography
* error correction and privacy amplification
* developments towards applications
* components for quantum cryptography including single photon sources, detectors and filters, entanglement sources, and random number generation.
