A measurement-device-independent quantum secure digital payment

In contemporary society, digital payment systems are crucial, yet vulnerable to security breaches. Based on the principles of quantum physics, quantum digital payment (QDP) protocols offer a theoretically superior security paradigm compared to those reliant on computational complexity. Nevertheless, those QDP protocols in practice are frequently compromised by imperfections in measurement devices, facilitating valuable information interception by malicious entities. Addressing this vulnerability, we propose a measurement-device-independent quantum secure digital payment (MDI-QSDP) protocol, designed to enhance security in digital payment systems by eliminating side-channel attacks on measurement devices. This protocol extends the framework of a novelly developed measurement-device-independent quantum secure communication (MDI-QSC) protocol, which supports secure dialogic exchanges without prior key sharing. Utilizing the proposed MDI-QSC protocol, participants can not only engage in secure direct communication but also establish a private key for subsequent encrypted interactions. Our MDI-QSDP protocol incorporates a robust authentication mechanism, ensuring that only legitimate participants can initiate transactions, thereby bolstering security. A comprehensive security analysis of the proposed protocol demonstrates its resilience against identity theft, information leakage, and other potential security breaches. Furthermore, simulations employing practical experimental parameters validate the protocol’s applicability and effectiveness in real-world scenarios, thereby confirming its potential to significantly enhance the security of future quantum digital payments. [Display omitted] •A measurement-device-independent quantum protocol for digital payment is proposed.•A measurement-device-independent quantum secure communication protocol is proposed.•A robust authentication mechanism for digital payment and communication is designed.•Simulations of secure transmission distance validate the protocol’s applicability and effectiveness.