Byzantine-repeater-aware mediated multi-party QKD in untrusted networks: a corrected-frame finite-key security framework via entropy accumulation

Mediated multi-party quantum key distribution (M-MQKD) is studied for repeater-assisted quantum networks with an untrusted repeater layer and end users restricted to single-qubit local operations and one-way quantum reception. Building on the 1D+star mediated construction, the repeater path is treated as an untrusted measurement layer and the security analysis adopts a corrected-frame GHZ model. Under authenticated timing windows, trusted user-side measurements, a calibrated Check observable, and an explicit public-reconciliation transcript, we establish a corrected-frame finite-key theorem yielding a conference-key length bound from two experimentally accessible statistics: Share-mode disagreement and Check-mode parity-violation. The virtual phase-error variable for privacy amplification is related to the corrected-frame Check parity observable by a stabilizer-complementarity argument with quantum side information, while the entropy term in entropy accumulation is replaced by a predeclared affine lower bound on $1- h_{2} (x)$ . Error-correction leakage is accounted for through a designated-leader pairwise reconciliation transcript, including syndrome traffic, verification tags, and auxiliary public messages. The protocol is hardened by announcement-consistency traps, salted commit-then-open commitments over modes and parameter-estimation outcomes, randomized reveal order, and authenticated timing windows. These mechanisms detect or exclude dishonest classical disclosures before parameter estimation and treat trap failures as an abort/detection statistic rather than an unproved entropy penalty. The framework gives an auditable finite-key extraction rule as a function of observed error rates, finite-sampling radii, reconciliation leakage, EAT finite-size penalties, trap thresholds, and commitment length. Numerical evaluation maps rate-security trade-offs and gives parameter-selection guidance, supporting resilient infrastructure for secure multi-party quantum communication.

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Publication Details

Journal
EPJ Quantum Technology
Published
2026-07-30
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjqt/s40507-026-00544-5
Primary Topic
Quantum Information and Cryptography
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Byzantine-repeater-aware mediated multi-party QKD in untrusted networks: a corrected-frame finite-key security framework via entropy accumulation

Burhan Ul Islam Khan, Dwi Sudarno Putra, Hamza Sohail, Mesith Chaimanee et al.
EPJ Quantum Technology
Quantum Information and Cryptography
article

Byzantine-repeater-aware mediated multi-party QKD in untrusted networks: a corrected-frame finite-key security framework via entropy accumulation

Burhan Ul Islam Khan, Dwi Sudarno Putra, Hamza Sohail, Mesith Chaimanee, Khang Wen Goh, Aabid A. Mir
article en

Abstract

Mediated multi-party quantum key distribution (M-MQKD) is studied for repeater-assisted quantum networks with an untrusted repeater layer and end users restricted to single-qubit local operations and one-way quantum reception. Building on the 1D+star mediated construction, the repeater path is treated as an untrusted measurement layer and the security analysis adopts a corrected-frame GHZ model. Under authenticated timing windows, trusted user-side measurements, a calibrated Check observable, and an explicit public-reconciliation transcript, we establish a corrected-frame finite-key theorem yielding a conference-key length bound from two experimentally accessible statistics: Share-mode disagreement and Check-mode parity-violation. The virtual phase-error variable for privacy amplification is related to the corrected-frame Check parity observable by a stabilizer-complementarity argument with quantum side information, while the entropy term in entropy accumulation is replaced by a predeclared affine lower bound on $1- h_{2} (x)$ . Error-correction leakage is accounted for through a designated-leader pairwise reconciliation transcript, including syndrome traffic, verification tags, and auxiliary public messages. The protocol is hardened by announcement-consistency traps, salted commit-then-open commitments over modes and parameter-estimation outcomes, randomized reveal order, and authenticated timing windows. These mechanisms detect or exclude dishonest classical disclosures before parameter estimation and treat trap failures as an abort/detection statistic rather than an unproved entropy penalty. The framework gives an auditable finite-key extraction rule as a function of observed error rates, finite-sampling radii, reconciliation leakage, EAT finite-size penalties, trap thresholds, and commitment length. Numerical evaluation maps rate-security trade-offs and gives parameter-selection guidance, supporting resilient infrastructure for secure multi-party quantum communication.

EPJ Quantum Technology
INTI International University (MY), Shinawatra University (TH), State University of Padang (ID), University of Haripur (PK), University of Malaya (MY), University of Kuala Lumpur (MY)
Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Openalex Percentile: Top 7%
Quantum Information and Cryptography
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