Quantum Geo-Encryption

In this work we introduce the concept of quantum geo-encryption - a protocol that invokes direct quantum encryption of messages coupled to quantum location monitoring of the intended receiver. By obfuscating the quantum information required by both the decrypting process and the location verification process, a communication channel is created in which the encrypted data can only be decrypted at a specific geographic locale. Classical wireless communications can be invoked to unlock the quantum encryption process thereby allowing for any deployment scenario regardless of the channel conditions. Quantum geo-encryption can also be used to realize quantum-computing instructions that can only be implemented at a specific location, and allow for a specified geographical data-route through a distributed network. Here we consider the operational aspects of quantum geo-encryption in generic Rician channels, demonstrating that the likelihood of a successful spoofing attack approaches zero as the adversary moves away from the allowed decrypting location. The work introduced here resolves a long-standing quest to directly deliver information which can only be decrypted at a given location free of assumptions on the physical security of a receiver.Comment: 3 Figure

MobChain:Three-Way Collusion Resistance in Witness-Oriented Location Proof Systems Using Distributed Consensus

Smart devices have accentuated the importance of geolocation information. Geolocation identification using smart devices has paved the path for incentive-based location-based services (LBS). However, a user’s full control over a smart device can allow tampering of the location proof. Witness-oriented location proof systems (LPS) have emerged to resist the generation of false proofs and mitigate collusion attacks. However, witness-oriented LPS are still susceptible to three-way collusion attacks (involving the user, location authority, and the witness). To overcome the threat of three-way collusion in existing schemes, we introduce a decentralized consensus protocol called MobChain in this paper. In this scheme the selection of a witness and location authority is achieved through a distributed consensus of nodes in an underlying P2P network that establishes a private blockchain. The persistent provenance data over the blockchain provides strong security guarantees; as a result, the forging and manipulation of location becomes impractical. MobChain provides secure location provenance architecture, relying on decentralized decision making for the selection of participants of the protocol thereby addressing the three-way collusion problem. Our prototype implementation and comparison with the state-of-the-art solutions show that MobChain is computationally efficient and highly available while improving the security of LPS