Anonymous quantum conference key agreement using the W state

Anonymous conference key agreement (ACKA), also known as multiparty key distribution, is a cryptographic task in which multiple parties hope to establish a common key. Different from the pioneering works, we propose an anonymous quantum conference key protocol based on the W state, which takes advantage of multipartite entanglement to establish a conference key. In contrast with the existing protocols that use GHZ state, the application of the W state is even more effective. If one of the particles is labeled, the others remain entangled. And the purpose of this study is to demonstrate that states other than the GHZ state can be utilized in the design of anonymous quantum conference key protocols. During the design process, four sub-protocols are developed, including the quantum anonymous collision detection protocol and the quantum notification protocol. Moreover, the entire anonymous conference key agreement protocol has been constructed, which includes the anonymous multiparty entanglement protocol and the verification process. Finally, we analyze the correctness and security of the proposed anonymous quantum conference key agreement protocol.