At 05:29 PM 12/11/95 -0500, it was written:
[...]
but since the contents of the key were never touched on DIRECTLY, no eavesdfropper could determine the key,
No, the integrity of the system really depends upon the quantum properties of light. Among other things, Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle makes it impossible for Eve to "eavesdrop" on the photons without affecting them measurably.
Disregarding the "quantum properties of light" issue, if Eve can listen in on every communication between Alice and Bob about their keys, then doesn't she have enough information to reconstruct the key herself? The way I understand the system, in order for Alice to have Bob's key (and vice versa) they each have to transmit a considerable amount of data about their keys. Even if those data are in the form of "twenty questions," neither knows anything about the other's key at the start. Is there something painfully obvious that I'm missing?
In this situation Eve can read the email traffic without modifying it, so the game is up. Exactly.
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