Software-based remote memory attestation using quantum entanglement

Abstract

AbstractSoftware-based remote memory attestation is a method for determining the state of a remote device without relying on secure hardware. In classical computing devices, the method is vulnerable to proxy and authentication attacks, because an infected device has no means of preventing the leak of its cryptographic secrets. In this paper, we demonstrate how these attacks can be mitigated by making use of quantum effects, while remaining within the class of software-based methods. In particular, we make use of entanglement and the inability of an attacker to clone qubits. Our proposed protocol is lightweight and can be implemented by near-term Quantum Computing techniques. The resulting protocol has the unique feature of resisting collusion between two dishonest devices, one of which has unbounded computational resources.