Method and apparatus for generating a cryptographic key
First Claim
1. A method of generating an identifier-based asymmetric cryptographic key concerning a user with which multiple independent user identities are associated, each user identity being intended for use by a respective trusted authority;
- the method comprising using computer equipment to apply a bilinear mapping function to process multiple data sets each comprising data related to the user'"'"'s identity with a respective one of the trusted authorities and data related to a secret held by that trusted authority, the secrets of the trusted authorities being unrelated to each other.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for generating a cryptographic key from multiple data sets each related to a respective association of a trusted party and user identity. The cryptographic key is, for example, one of an encryption key, a decryption key, a signature key and a verification key, and is preferably generated by applying Tate or Weil bilinear mappings to the data sets. At least two of the data sets may relate to different user identities and/or different trusted authorities. Where multiple trusted authorities are involved, these authorities may be associated with different elements to which the bilinear mapping can be applied, each trusted authority having an associated public key formed from its associated element and a secret of that trusted authority.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method of generating an identifier-based asymmetric cryptographic key concerning a user with which multiple independent user identities are associated, each user identity being intended for use by a respective trusted authority;
- the method comprising using computer equipment to apply a bilinear mapping function to process multiple data sets each comprising data related to the user'"'"'s identity with a respective one of the trusted authorities and data related to a secret held by that trusted authority, the secrets of the trusted authorities being unrelated to each other.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer program product arranged, when installed in computing apparatus, to condition the apparatus for generating an identifier-based asymmetric cryptographic key concerning a user with which multiple independent user identities are associated, each user identity being intended for use by a respective trusted authority, the conditioned apparatus using a bilinear mapping function to process multiple data sets each comprising data related to the user'"'"'s identity with a respective one of the trusted authorities and data related to a secret held by that trusted authority, the secrets of the trusted authorities being unrelated to each other;
- data from the multiple data sets being combined either before or after processing by the bilinear mapping function.
- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
- 27. A computer apparatus for generating an identifier-based asymmetric cryptographic key concerning a user with which multiple independent user identities are associated, each user identity being intended for use by a respective trusted authority, the computer apparatus using a bilinear mapping function to process multiple data sets each comprising data related to the user'"'"'s identity with a respective one of the trusted authorities and data related to a secret held by that trusted authority, the secrets of the trusted authorities being unrelated to each other.
Specification