Blind-QEM: A Privacy-Preserving Framework for Quantum Error Mitigation via Zero-Knowledge Proofs

Junyong Lee, Jeihee Cho, Hyeonseong Jung, Euimin Lee, Yunah Choi, Seokhyeon Son, Shiho Kim

Keywords: Quantum Error Mitigation, Zero-Knowledge Proofs, Privacy-Preserving Computing

TL;DR: Blind-QEM enables verifiable third-party quantum error mitigation without circuit disclosure by combining zero-knowledge proofs allowing service providers to mitigate noise using only coarse resource statistics under explicit privacy constraints.

Abstract: As quantum computing transitions to a cloud-based service model, a separation of concerns has emerged between hardware vendors and third-party Service Providers (SPs) offering specialized Quantum Error Mitigation (QEM). This ecosystem presents a fundamental \textit{privacy--utility dilemma}: effective mitigation typically requires circuit visibility, yet quantum circuits often represent sensitive Intellectual Property (IP). Conversely, SPs risk exposing proprietary noise models to malicious probing if they blindly process user requests. To resolve this, we propose \textbf{Blind-QEM}, a privacy-preserving framework enabling users to outsource error mitigation without revealing circuit topology. Blind-QEM leverages Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) to verify circuit policy compliance on hidden commitments. Crucially, we introduce a \textit{receipt-based binding} mechanism that utilizes QPU-signed execution logs as a hardware root of trust to cryptographically link noisy results to the committed circuit, preventing resource abuse. We demonstrate that Blind-QEM allows SPs to apply global incoherent noise cancellation and readout error mitigation using only verified aggregate statistics, ensuring mutual privacy for both the user's circuit and the SP's calibration model. Our framework ensures circuit confidentiality for the user while protecting the SP from model probing and resource abuse.

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Submission Number: 12