Secure remote electronic voting using BB84

Information Security Management

CSE3502

Review-1

Team Members:

Sudharshan – 20BIT0114
Bhuvana – 20BIT0246
Janavi Koonamneni – 20BIT0248
Rahitya Teja – 20BIT0296
Ranga Rakshith – 20BIT0360

Submitted to: SUMAIYA THASEEN I

Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore

 Abstract

Electronic voting is a method of casting and counting ballots through electronic

means. In this project, electronic voting is defined as a system that allows voters
to access and cast their votes remotely. In India, electronic voting machines
(EVMs) were implemented to prevent fraud, but it caused more problems.
Online voting, which eliminates the need for in-person interactions and travel, is
being considered as a secure option in light of the ongoing pandemic. However,
remote systems such as electronic voting are vulnerable to attacks like man-in-
the-middle attacks. To address this issue, we researched the BB84 protocol as a
means of protecting the system from such attacks.
Literature Review:

Sudharshan Reddy(20BIT0114) – 1,2,3 Papers

[1] A Framwork for QKD-based Electronic Voting

- Ibrahim Saud Khaleel* , Sufyan T. Faraj Al-Janabi, and Ali Jbaeer
Dawood College of Computer Science and IT, University of Anbar,
Ramadi, Iraq

Security issues with e-voting systems are often the main source of worry. So, in
this research, a paradigm for incorporating QKD into the electronic voting
process has been provided. This will allow e-voting to take advantage of the
highest level of security provided by QKD. Eve's partial knowledge of Alice and
Bob's key is effectively removed using privacy amplification based on an
appropriate class of Carter-Wegman hash function. OTP encryption is advised in
order to preserve the system's greatest level of security due to its verifiable
secrecy quality. Users of Helios also have the option to encrypt data using
alternative block cyphers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first
framework proposal for developing a QKD-based electronic voting system
(without utilising any other speculative quantum cryptography techniques). This
suggestion, in our opinion, can be utilised in significant small- to medium-scale
electoral duties.

[2] A homomorphic encryption-based secure electronic voting scheme.

- By Andrea Huszti

In this study, we suggest a safe electronic voting system based on homomorphic

encryption. It ensures coercibility-freeness, unreusability, privacy, and
verifiability in addition to eligibility. Since the technique only uses anonymous
channels and does not involve polling booths or untappable channels, it can be
applied in a real-world setting. Basic settings which are listed above are provided
by the suggested scheme. Forced-abstention and randomization attacks are both
guarded against. Since only anonymous channels are used, the protocol may be
put into use in a practical setting.

[3] Anonymous Voting Scheme using Quantum Assisted BlockChain

- Sandeep Mishra, Kishore Thapliyal, S Krish Rewanth, Abhishek
Parakh, Anirban Pathak.

With a focus on applications in the area of safe electronic voting systems, we

have thoroughly examined the distinguishing qualities of the existing blockchain
technology in this paper. The goal is to especially illustrate blockchain's benefits
and drawbacks in light of anticipated problems brought on by noisy intermediate
scale quantum (NISQ) computers. Even if the NISQ computer is still in
development, it is necessary to create electronic voting systems that are
completely impervious to potential threats. Furthermore, it's crucial to address the
criticisms levelled at blockchain-based voting systems. Our study is a step in that
direction since it carefully employs and combines the benefits that quantum
technology and the blockchain have to offer in terms of improving security.

Rahitya Teja-20BIT0296(4,5,6):

[4]. Valid Blockchain-Based E-Voting Using Elliptic Curve and

Homomorphic Encryption

The topic of enhancing the voting process has gained significant attention in
recent times. Traditional paper-based voting methods are deemed insecure due
to the potential for manipulation and tampering of ballots. In response, many
nations have adopted electronic voting systems to enhance security,
authenticity, and speed. One solution that has been proposed is the use of
blockchain technology in e-voting systems to decrease the likelihood of fraud
and enable voting from home, particularly during pandemics. The proposed
blockchain e-voting system addresses concerns of security and authentication
through the use of hybrid public-key cryptography. Voter information is
encrypted using the regional election office's elliptic public key, while the vote
is encrypted by the supreme election authority's homomorphic public key.
[5]. A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis on Scalable
Blockchain-Based Electronic Voting Systems

Blockchain technology offers potential solutions to various challenges in

electronic voting such as authentication, data privacy and integrity, transparency
and verifiability. However, scalability remains a major barrier to realizing the
full potential of blockchain in electronic voting. This study aims to identify
solutions to scalable blockchain-based electronic voting systems, highlight
issues and predict future developments.This paper reviews current research on
scalable voting systems using Blockchain technology. Developing and
implementing electronic voting systems is complex, involving solving issues
such as authentication, privacy, data integrity, transparency and verifiability.
The report summarizes research on scaling Blockchain technology for electronic
voting, identifying scalability challenges and research opportunities. It
highlights the need for testing electronic voting systems in various ways,
including acceptability, performance, and security.

[6]. Secured E-voting System Using Two-factor Biometric Authentication

Developing a voting system that combines the privacy of traditional systems

with proper voter authentication and transparency has been a long-standing
challenge. The proposed research work presents a secure and robust electronic
voting system using machine learning-based facial recognition algorithms and
biometric authentication methods to enhance security. It specifically examines
the functionality of face detection and recognition, bio-metric scanning and the
implementation procedure, with the goal of improving security and reducing
duplicate voting and fraud, to make the system more efficient and user-friendly.
It makes use of the eigen algorithm which explained in detail in the paper, and
explained about how the thumb recognition works and how it can be integrated
in this voting system.A 2-factor biometric authentication system using face
recognition and minutiae-based algorithms, with a full-fledged database as
input, can enhance traditional voting systems and prevent fraud. This
technology can be developed as a highly secure software for both online voting
and traditional polling booths, reducing malpractice, minimizing time and effort
for casting and counting votes and increasing voter turnout. Errors in election
procedures can threaten democracy by marginalizing voters and causing low
voter turnout.
Makam Ranga Rakshit(20BIT0360)-7,8,9

[7]. How to factor 2048 bit RSA integers in 8 hours using 20 million noisy
qubits

This study attempted to address the cost issue and determined that between 10
million and 1 billion physical qubits are required to crack RSA-2048. The
approximate cost to build a large-scale supercomputer with near- and neighbour
connectivity, a physical gate error of 10-3, and a cycle time of 1 microsecond is
estimated in this research. Small-scale tests with putting post-quantum
cryptosystems online have been done, and these systems are currently being
standardised. To enable the widespread use of post-quantum cryptosystems,
however, a sizable amount of work needs to be done.

[8]. Long- distance quantum key distribution in optical fibre

In this study, they demonstrated the potential of TESs by effectively creating

error-corrected, privacy- amplified key over 148.7 km of dark optical fibre at a
mean photon number of = 0.1 or 184.6 km of dark optical fibre at = 0.5. Over a
distance of 67.5 kilometres, they have also transferred a key that is secure
against powerful photon-number- splitting attacks. Use of low-noise detectors
can boost both the secret bit rate of long-distance quantum key distribution
(QKD) and the length of a fibre optic link across which a safe key can be
distributed, The author asserts that a novel approach of using a detection time-
window chosen to optimise the secret bit rate could be of considerable use in
enhancing the performance of other QKD systems.

[9]. Simple Proof of Security of the BB84 Quantum Key Distribution

Protocol

To demonstrate that the protocol works in this instance, the author had to ensure
that the failures are random. They accomplished this by adding a phase in which
Alice scrambles the qubits using a random permutation before sending them to
Bob, and a stage in which Alice sends to Bob and he unscrambles the qubits
after Bob acknowledges receiving the qubits. This is viable as long as the bit
and phase error rates recorded are less than 11%. This work proposes to
demonstrate the security of the BB84 protocol by linking it to entanglement
purification protocols and quantum error- correcting codes, the protocol requires
a quantum computer. Experimental quantum key distribution systems use weak
coherent sources, and no currently known proof covers this case.

Bhuvana(20BIT0246)-10,11,12

[10]. Securing e-voting based on blockchain in P2P network

E-voting is a method of casting and tallying ballots electronically.

It is a time and money-saving method for carrying out a voting process that has
the advantages of being generous with data, real-time, and requiring high
security. However, worries about network security and communication privacy
for e-voting have grown.

E-voting security is a pressing issue that is quickly gaining attention in the

networking and communications space.
In order to increase the security of electronic voting, the authors of these works
have suggested methods for utilising blockchain in P2P networks.

To prevent vote faking, they have first created a synchronised model of voting
records based on distributed ledger technology (DLT).
In order to offer authentication and non-repudiation, a user credential model
based on elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) has been developed.
Third, a withdrawal model has been developed that enables voters to alter their
ballot before a predetermined cutoff time.
A blockchain-based e-voting scheme on a P2P network is provided for the
fundamental requirements of the e-voting process by combining the
aforementioned designs.
A blockchain-based electronic voting system for many candidates has been
developed on Linux systems in a P2P network to demonstrate and validate the
scheme. Software engineering, cryptography, and electronic voting theory are
all applied to the system. The outcome of the deployment demonstrates that it is
a workable and secure electronic voting system that addresses the issue of vote
fraud. The blockchain-based electronic voting method is immediately applicable
to numerous networking applications.
[11]. E-voting system using Proof of Voting (PoV)consensus algorithm
using Block chain Technology

An electronic voting system using blockchain technology has been developed to

address legal concerns and provide tamper-proof mechanisms. Smart contracts
are used to identify election roles, such as voter, officer, and nodal officer. The
system uses a Proof-Of-Voting consensus mechanism, where each node must
authenticate to cast a vote. The election process includes voter registration,
transactions, tallying results, and confirming votes using a decentralized
application. A novel consensus method, evidence of voting, is suggested in this
paper. Voter registration is carried out using a voting ID and voters are only
allowed to vote if their smart contact matches the smart contact on the ballot.
This system consumes less power than traditional proof of work methods.

[12]. Trustworthy Electronic Voting Using Adjusted Blockchain

Technology

In order to eliminate duplications and inconsistencies, electronic voting has

gradually replaced paper-based voting. According to the historical viewpoint
offered in the previous two decades, the security and privacy problems
discovered over time may be the reason it hasn't been as successful. This study
offers a system that protects the data's security by employing efficient hashing
techniques. This work introduces the notion of block formation and block
sealing. The adoption of a block sealing idea makes the blockchain adaptable to
the polling process' requirements. It is advised to use consortium blockchain,
which makes sure that the blockchain is controlled by a governing body (such as
an election commission) and that no unwanted access can come from outside.
The architecture outlined in this study examines the usefulness of hashing
algorithms, the construction and sealing of blocks, the accumulation of data, and
the declaration of results utilising an adaptable blockchain approach. This article
makes the claim that it understands the security and data management issues
with blockchain technology and offers a better representation of electronic
voting.
Janavi koonamneni-20BIT0248(13,14,15):

[13]. A Study on Electronic Voting System Using Private Blockchain

Roh, C. H., & Lee, I. Y. (2020). A study on electronic voting system using
private blockchain. Journal of Information Processing Systems, 16(2), 421-
434.

The speed and convenience of work completion have altered dramatically for
many people as a result of the growth of digital technology. Voting has also
incorporated this technology, however electronic voting is rarely employed. The
current electronic voting system uses a variety of encryption methods to
function. Because the administrator has complete control over the process, this
kind of electronic voting may be troublesome. s. Because all untrusted network
users have access to the same data, blockchain technology offers data integrity
and reliability. In this article, we suggest an electronic voting system that
ensures voting secrecy and secures dependability by utilising blockchain
technology. The electoral commission, the polling place, and the ticket office
are also included. In the proposed approach, the public key is generated at the
counting server and sent to the voting servers when the election committee
establishes a vote. After voters authenticate, the election committee registers
them, and when it's time to cast their ballots, voters login to the voting server,
enter their information, and cast their ballot. After the ballot has been counted,
the election committee sends the counting message and entire block to the
counting server, decrypts it using the server's private key, and broadcasts it.

[14].Secure Electronic Voting System Using Blockchain Technology

Singh, A., & Chatterjee, K. (2018, September). Secevs: Secure electronic
voting system using blockchain technology. In 2018 International
Conference on Computing, Power and Communication Technologies
(GUCON) (pp. 863-867). IEEE.

In today's digital age, electronic voting systems have become a popular

replacement for traditional paper-based voting methods. These systems offer
transparency, decentralization, and non-repudiation, but also raise security and
transparency concerns. To address these concerns, this study proposes using
blockchain technology in an electronic voting system. The system is
decentralized, records results in the form of bitcoins and has multiple locations,
making it more secure than other systems.
The proposed system is illustrated using an example of a university campus
electronic voting system, where there are four zones: east, west, north, and
south. Each zone has multiple colleges and the university administrator wants to
choose a student leader. Voting begins in each college and a block is created for
each vote cast. The blocks are then connected to form a blockchain for each
college. The college-level blockchains then combine to form a zone-level
blockchain, and all zone-level blockchains are combined to form a university-
level blockchain. The committee uses this blockchain to count the votes.
The proposed system is built on the fundamentals of hashing and encryption,
and includes a voting server, colleges as organizers, university election
commission as inspectors, AES and DES encryption algorithms, and the SHA-
256 hash algorithm. Algorithm 1 explains how the system utilizes blockchain
technology to create a secure and transparent voting process.

[15]. Blockchain-Based E-Voting System

Hjálmarsson, F. Þ., Hreiðarsson, G. K., Hamdaqa, M., & Hjálmtýsson, G.
(2018, July). Blockchain-based e-voting system. In 2018 IEEE 11th
international conference on cloud computing (CLOUD) (pp. 983-986).
IEEE.

In this study, the authors propose a blockchain application for implementing a

distributed electronic voting system. They present a novel blockchain-based
electronic voting system that addresses some of the drawbacks of current
systems and assesses well-known blockchain frameworks. They have
specifically examined the potential of distributed ledger technologies through a
case study of an election and a blockchain-based application, which increases
security and reduces the cost of holding a national election. The system uses a
permissioned Proof-of-Authority consensus method based on identification as a
stake, which produces transactions quickly. The blockchain consists of two
types of nodes, district and boot nodes, each with a software agent that controls
the smart contract life cycle. A smart contract is defined in three steps:
identifying roles, defining the process, and defining transactions.
References:

1. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347010699_A_Framework_for
_QKD-based_Electronic_Voting
2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267135549_A_homomorphic_e
ncryption-based_secure_electronic_voting_scheme
3. https://arxiv.org/pdf/2206.03182.pdf
4. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sufyan-Al-
Janabi/publication/364978323_Valid_Blockchain-Based_E-
Voting_Using_Elliptic_Curve_and_Homomorphic_Encryption/links/636
688b82f4bca7fd034b260/Valid-Blockchain-Based-E-Voting-Using-
Elliptic-Curve-and-Homomorphic-Encryption.pdf#page=79
5. A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis on
Scalable Blockchain-Based Electronic Voting Systems
6. Secured E-voting system using two-factor biometric
authentication
7. How to factor 2048 bit RSA integers in 8 hours using
20 million noisy qubits
8. Long-distance quantum key distribution in optical fibre
9. Simple proof of security of the BB84 quantum key
distribution protocol
10. https://jwcn-eurasipjournals.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13638-
019-1473-6
11. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3729053
12. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8651451/
13. https://www.koreascience.or.kr/article/JAKO202013965594411.pag
14. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8675008/e
15. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8457919/
Screenshot of the confirmation of the base paper from the Faculty: