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Secure, swift cryptographic key exchange

  • US 5,835,592 A
  • Filed: 09/28/1995
  • Issued: 11/10/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. In a protocol for cryptographic communication via a communication channel "I" in which a transmitting cryptographic unit "T" broadcasts onto the communication channel I an encrypted cyphertext message "M" obtained by supplying both a plaintext message "P" and a cryptographic key "K" to a first cryptographic device, and in which a receiving cryptographic unit "R" receives the broadcast cyphertext message M and by supplying the cyphertext message M together with the key K to a second cryptographic device decrypts the plaintext message P therefrom, a method by which the units T and R mutually establish a cryptographic key K by first exchanging messages before the unit T broadcasts the cyphertext message M comprising the steps of:

  • a. at a first of the units T or R;

    i. selecting a first quantity "A" and a second quantity "B;

    "ii. using a first mathematical function "Φ

    1 " and the quantities A and B, computing a third quantity "C"=Φ

    1 (A, B), the quantities A and B and the function Φ

    1 being such that knowing one or the other of the selected quantities A or B, the computed quantity C, and the function Φ

    1, there does not exist an inverse function Φ

    1 that may be used for directly computing the unknown quantity A or B;

    iii. transmitting the selected quantity A together with the quantity C from the first unit T or R to a second unit R or T; and

    iv. retaining at the first unit T or R the selected quantity B;

    b. at the second unit R or T;

    i. receiving the quantities A and C transmitted by the first unit T or R;

    ii. selecting a fourth quantity "D;

    "iii. using a second mathematical function "Φ

    2 " and the received quantity A together with the selected quantity D, computing a fifth quantity "E"=Φ

    2 (A, D), the quantities A and D and the function Φ

    2 being such that knowing one or the other of the selected quantities A or D, the computed quantity E, and the function Φ

    2, there does not exist an inverse function Φ

    2 that may be used for directly computing the unknown quantity A or D;

    iv. transmitting the computed quantity E from the second unit R or T to the first unit T or R;

    v. retaining at the second unit R or T the selected quantity D; and

    vi. using a third mathematical function "Ψ

    2 " and the retained quantity D together with the received quantity C, computing the key K=Ψ

    2 (D, C)=Ψ

    2 (D, Φ

    1 {A, B}); and

    c. at the first unit T or R;

    i. receiving the quantity E transmitted by the unit R or T; and

    ii. using a fourth mathematical function "Ψ

    1 " and the retained quantity B together with the received quantity E, computing the key K=Ψ

    1 (B, E)=Ψ

    1 (B, Φ

    2 {A, D})=Ψ

    2 (D, Φ

    1 {A, B}).

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