Three-Party Quantum Authenticated Key Distribution with Partially Trusted Third Party

In this paper, a novel three-party quantum authenticated key distribution with a partially trusted third party protocol is proposed. Unlike most classical cryptography, the security of the protocol does not rely on the amount of computations required to find the encryption key, but on physical properties of the transmission medium (i.e., quantum mechanical properties). The session key shared between participants is concealed from the trusted third party while the participants trust the third party regarding the authentication part. Thus, the proposed system will be preferable for network systems in/between institutions, which deal with highly sensitive information (e.g., military bases, research facilities, hospitals).