Enhanced quantum secret sharing protocol for anonymous secure communication utilizing W states

Highlights•A quantum protocol for anonymous sharing of classical and quantum information is proposed•A secret sharing protocol constructing W state anonymous entanglement is proposed•A quantum protocol for anonymous notification to secret receivers is designed•A noise-resistant quantum secret sharing scheme is introducedSummaryQuantum secret sharing (QSS) represents the fusion of quantum mechanics principles with secret information sharing, allowing a sender to distribute a secret among receivers for collective recovery. This paper introduces the concept of quantum anonymous secret sharing (QASS) to enhance the practicality of such protocols. We propose a QASS protocol leveraging W states, ensuring both recover-security and anonymity of shared secrets. Our protocol undergoes rigorous evaluation verifying their accuracy and fortifying their security against scenarios involving the active adversary. Additionally, acknowledging the imperfections inherent in real-world communication channels, we conduct a comprehensive analysis of protocol security and efficacy in noisy quantum networks. Our investigations reveal that W states exhibit good performance in mitigating noise interference, making them apt for practical applications.Graphical abstract