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Method and system for enhancing network security using a multilateral authorization mechanism

  • US 7,136,489 B1
  • Filed: 09/12/2002
  • Issued: 11/14/2006
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2002
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for implementing a multilateral authorization quorum in a computer network, the multilateral authorization quorum comprising a total number of stakeholders out of which a threshold number of stakeholders can provide a multilateral authorization, the stakeholders sharing a quorum private key, the method comprising:

  • determining one or more access sets, each containing the threshold number of stakeholders;

    determining a share of the quorum private key held by each stakeholder in all of the one or more access sets, wherein the shares of the quorum private key held by the stakeholders in any one of the one or more access sets add up to a number directly related to the quorum private key, wherein the quorum private key is split among the stakeholders of the multilateral authorization quorum, thereby forming the multilateral authorization quorum;

    determining one or more secret keys of the stakeholders for each of the one or more access sets; and

    generating one or more broadcast polynomials for each of the one or more access sets using the shares of the quorum private key and the one or more secret keys thereof;

    wherein the threshold number of stakeholders in the multilateral authorization quorum collectively generate a collective signature for a message in the computer network utilizing a Guillou-Quisquater public key security system, comprising;

    computing a value R=rE(mod N) wherein r is a random number between 1 and integer N, and E denotes a public exponent thereof;

    computing t=H (M, R) (mod E), wherein M represents the message being signed by the stakeholders and H(M, R) is a one-way hash function;

    computing J′

    such that J′

    *(JSIGN)t*r′

    E

    1 (mod N), wherein r′

    is a random number and 1<

    r′

    <

    N and JSIGN is the public key for the collective signature;

    sending J′ and

    a selected polynomial B(x) to all stakeholders in a selected access set;

    computing a partial result j′

    Sk (mod N) by each stakeholder, wherein Sk=B(Z′

    k)(0≦

    k<

    K), Z′

    k denotes the secret key held by each stakeholder; and

    computing an intermediate value T as T=r*r′

    *J′



    k=1 to K J′

    Sk(mod N),wherein a three-tuple <

    M, t, T>

    constitutes the collective signature of the threshold number of stakeholders.

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