Quantum string seal is insecure

Abstract

A quantum string seal encodes the value of a (bit) string as a quantum state in such a way that everyone can extract a non-negligible amount of available information on the string by a suitable measurement. Moreover, such measurement must disturb the quantum state and is likely to be detected by an authorized verifier. In this way, the intactness of the encoded quantum state plays the role of a wax seal in the digital world. Here we analyze the security of quantum string seal by studying the information disturbance trade-off of a measurement. This information disturbance trade-off analysis extends the earlier results of Bechamann-Pasquinucci, D’Ariano, and Macchiavello [Int. J. Quant. Inform. 3, 435 (2005)] and Chau [Phys. Lett. A 354, 31 (2006)] by concluding that all quantum string seals are insecure. Specifically, we find a way to obtain nontrivial available information on the string that escapes the verifier’s detection with at least 50% chance. © 2007 The American Physical Society.