Quantum cryptography is a relatively new area of computer security that deals with providing secure communication between the sender and recipient of information, using quantum-mechanical approach. It represents the vision of overcoming the classical methods of cryptography: asymmetric and symmetric algorithms, which have been used for several decades. It involves the establishment of a quantum channel between the participants, in which the transmission of information is realized using photons. The base of the quantum cryptography is formed by appropriate protocols that define the algorithm and method of exchanging and interpreting information. This type of security mechanisms has its undeniable theoretical advantages, but there are a number of problems related to the practical realization. The paper presents an overview of the general quantum principles and their characteristics underlying this form of cryptography and highlights the current advantages and disadvantages of quantum distribution security key.
