Method for the secure, distributed generation of an encryption key

• US 7,970,135 B1
• Filed: 07/06/2000
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Inventors: Schwenk, Joerg
• Primary Examiner(s): Zia; Syed A.
• Application Number:
  US09/806,222
• Time in Patent Office: 4,009 Days
• Field of Search: 380277-280, 380 27- 32, 713170-205
• US Class Current: 380/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0841 involving Diffie-Hellman or related key agreement protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

In a method for the secure, distributed generation of an encryption key for a cryptographic method, where the encryption key, as well as a public key are generated using deterministic methods from a large random number (seed), the seed (S) is generated on the user side by consulting variables known only to the user, and a public key (V) that is transmitted in advance from the trust center. Generation information suitable for generating the seed and, on the basis of which, the seed is able to be derived deterministically from the trust center, by consulting information known only to the center, is produced on the user side, and transmitted to the trust center to create the seed in parallel.

Claims

1. A method for the secure, distributed generation of an encryption key for a cryptographic method effected by a computer, comprising:

generating a seed S by the computer, the seed S being a large random number, on a side of a user by consulting at least one variable u known only to the user and a public key V that is transmitted in advance from a trust center;

providing generation information G which is suitable for generating the seed S by the computer and from which the seed S is able to be derived deterministically from the trust center by consulting information v known only to the trust center, the generation information G being produced within a computer on the user side and transmitted via a computer to the trust center for creating the seed in parallel, so that encrypted data transmitted by the user to the trust center is decrypted by the trust center;

providing a key agreement mapping k;

k(x,y)=z, and wherein;

a) k(k(u,v),w)=k(k(u,w),v) for all u,v,w;

b) from the knowledge of u and k(u,v), v cannot be inferred;

c) from the knowledge of u, k(u,v) and k(u,w), k(k(u,w)v) cannot be inferred, w being a number;

wherein a public parameter g known to the trust center and a secret key v available at the trust center are linked to the public key V=k(g,v) of the trust center;

wherein the public key V and the at least one variable u selected on the user side are linked on the user side to the seed S=k(V,u);

wherein a key pair made up of an encryption key C and a public user key U is derived from the seed S on the user side using a predefined deterministic method;

wherein to enable seed S to be created, generation information G=k(g,u) is generated on the user side and transmitted to the trust center; and

wherein seed S is generated in parallel at the trust center by S=k(G,v);

providing a plurality of trust centers which use the key agreement mapping k and the public parameter g;

the user selecting at least one trust center of the plurality of trust centers and with each of the at least one trust center the user recovers a respective value Sv of seed S, and the user generating an encryption key C, the respective value Sv of seed S calculated by the at least one trust center is linked on the user side to the entire seed S.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the trust center and the plurality of trust centers each use a respective different function kv and a respective different public parameter gv.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the trust center does not transmit the user-specific key Vu=k(g,vu) to the user until the trust center has received the generation information G.