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Elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) is an approach to public-key cryptography based on the algebraic structure of elliptic curves over finite fields. The use of elliptic curves in cryptography was suggested independently by Neal Koblitz[1] and Victor S. Miller[2] in 1985. A big random number is used to make a public-key pair. ...
In mathematics, an elliptic curve is a plane curve defined by an equation of the form y2 = x3 + a x + b, which is non-singular; that is, its graph has no cusps or self-intersections. ...
In abstract algebra, a finite field or Galois field (so named in honor of Ãvariste Galois) is a field that contains only finitely many elements. ...
Neal Koblitz is a Professor of Mathematics in the University of Washington in the Department of Mathematics. ...
Victor S. Miller (b. ...
This article is about the year. ...
Elliptic curves are also used in several integer factorization algorithms that have applications in cryptography, such as, for instance, Lenstra elliptic curve factorization, but this use of elliptic curves is not usually referred to as "elliptic curve cryptography." Prime decomposition redirects here. ...
In mathematics, computing, linguistics, and related disciplines, an algorithm is a finite list of well-defined instructions for accomplishing some task that, given an initial state, will terminate in a defined end-state. ...
The Lenstra elliptic curve factorization or the elliptic curve factorization method (ECM) is a fast, sub-exponential running time algorithm for integer factorization which employs elliptic curves. ...
Introduction
Public key cryptography is based on the creation of mathematical puzzles that are difficult to solve without certain knowledge about how they were created. The creator keeps that knowledge secret (the private key) and publishes the puzzle (the public key). The puzzle can then be used to scramble a message in a way that only the creator can unscramble. Early public key systems, such as the RSA algorithm, used products of two large prime numbers as the puzzle: a user picks two large random primes as his private key, and publishes their product as his public key. The difficulty of factoring ensures that no one else can derive the private key (i.e., the two prime factors) from the public one within a reasonable amount of time. However, due to recent progress in factoring, RSA public keys must now be thousands[citation needed] of bits long to provide adequate security. SWAdair | Talk 06:28, 11 May 2005 (UTC) Categories: Possible copyright violations ...
In mathematics, a prime number (or a prime) is a natural number which has exactly two distinct natural number divisors: 1 and itself. ...
...
Another class of puzzle involves solving the equation ab = c for b when a and c are known. Such equations involving real or complex numbers are easily solved using logarithms. However, in some large finite groups, finding solutions to such equations is quite difficult and is known as the discrete logarithm problem. Logarithms to various bases: is to base e, is to base , and is to base . ...
In mathematics, a finite group is a group which has finitely many elements. ...
In mathematics, specifically in abstract algebra and its applications, discrete logarithms are group-theoretic analogues of ordinary logarithms. ...
An elliptic curve is a plane curve defined by an equation of the form In mathematics, an elliptic curve is a plane curve defined by an equation of the form y2 = x3 + a x + b, which is non-singular; that is, its graph has no cusps or self-intersections. ...
In mathematics, the concept of a curve tries to capture our intuitive idea of a geometrical one-dimensional and continuous object. ...
- y2 = x3 + a x + b.
The set of points on such a curve (i.e., all solutions of the equation together with a point at infinity) can be shown to form an abelian group (with the point at infinity as identity element). If the coordinates x and y are chosen from a large finite field, the solutions form a finite abelian group. The discrete logarithm problem on such elliptic curve groups is believed to be more difficult than the corresponding problem in (the multiplicative group of nonzero elements of) the underlying finite field. Thus keys in elliptic curve cryptography can be chosen to be much shorter for a comparable level of security. (See: cryptographic key length) The point at infinity, also called ideal point, is a point which when added to the real number line yields a closed curve called the real projective line, . Nota Bene: The real projective line is not equivalent to the extended real number line. ...
In mathematics, an abelian group, also called a commutative group, is a group (G, * ) with the additional property that * commutes: for all a and b in G, a * b = b * a. ...
In abstract algebra, a finite field or Galois field (so named in honor of Ãvariste Galois) is a field that contains only finitely many elements. ...
In cryptography, the key size (alternatively key length) is a measure of the number of possible keys which can be used in a cipher. ...
As for other popular public key cryptosystems, no mathematical proof of difficulty has been published for ECC as of 2006. However, the U.S. National Security Agency has endorsed ECC technology by including it in its Suite B set of recommended algorithms. Although the RSA patent has expired, there are patents in force covering some aspects of ECC. 2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
âNSAâ redirects here. ...
Suite B is a set of public key cryptography algorithms based on elliptic curve cryptography promulgated by the US National Security Agency as part of a US Government standard for securing sensitive-but-unclassified (SBU) information. ...
Mathematical introduction Elliptic curves used in cryptography are typically defined over two types of finite fields: fields of odd characteristic ( , where p > 3 is a large prime number) and fields of characteristic two ( ). When the distinction is not important we denote both of them as , where q = p or q = 2m. In the elements are integers ( ) which are combined using modular arithmetic. The case of is slightly more complicated (see finite field arithmetic for details): one obtains different representations of the field elements as bitstrings for each choice of irreducible binary polynomial f(x) of degree m. In mathematics, an elliptic curve is a plane curve defined by an equation of the form y2 = x3 + a x + b, which is non-singular; that is, its graph has no cusps or self-intersections. ...
In abstract algebra, a finite field or Galois field (so named in honor of Ãvariste Galois) is a field that contains only finitely many elements. ...
In mathematics, the characteristic of a ring R with identity element 1R is defined to be the smallest positive integer n such that n1R = 0, where n1R is defined as 1R + ... + 1R with n summands. ...
The integers are commonly denoted by the above symbol. ...
Modular arithmetic (sometimes called modulo arithmetic, or clock arithmetic because of its use in the 24-hour clock system) is a system of arithmetic for integers, where numbers wrap around after they reach a certain value â the modulus. ...
Arithmetic in a finite field is different from standard integer arithmetic. ...
The set of all pairs of affine coordinates (x,y) for form the affine plane . An elliptic curve is the locus of points in the affine plane whose coordinates satisfy a certain cubic equation together with a point at infinity O (the point at which the locus in the projective plane intersects the line at infinity). In the case of characteristic p > 3 the defining equation of can be written: In mathematics, an affine combination of vectors x1, ..., xn is a linear combination in which the sum of the coefficients is 1, thus: . Here the vectors are supposed to lie in given vector space V over a field K; and the coefficients are scalars in K. This concept is important...
 where and are constants such that . In the binary case the defining equation of can be written:  where and are constants and . Although the point at infinity O has no affine coordinates, it is convenient to represent it using a pair of coordinates which do not satisfy the defining equation, for example, O = (0,0) if and O = (0,1) otherwise. According to Hasse's theorem on elliptic curves the number of points on a curve is close to the size of the underlying field; more precisely: . In mathematics, Hasses theorem on elliptic curves bounds the number of points on an elliptic curve over a finite field. ...
The points on an elliptic curve form an abelian group with O, the distinguished point at infinity, playing the role of additive identity. In other words, given two points , there is a third point, denoted by on , and the following relations hold for all In mathematics, an abelian group, also called a commutative group, is a group (G, * ) with the additional property that * commutes: for all a and b in G, a * b = b * a. ...
- P + Q = Q + P (commutativity)
- (P + Q) + R = P + (Q + R) (associativity)
- P + O = O + P = P (existence of an identity element)
- there exists ( − P) such that − P + P = P + ( − P) = O (existence of inverses)
We already specified how O is defined. If we define the negative of a point P = (x,y) to be − P = (x, − y) for and − P = (x,x + y) for , we can define the addition operation as follows: - if Q = O then P + Q = P
- if Q = − P then P + Q = O
- if
then P + Q = R, where - in the prime case xR = λ2 − xP − xQ, yR = λ(xP − xR) − yP, and
, or - in the binary case xR = λ2 + λ + xP + xQ + a, yR = λ(xP + xR) + xR + yP, and
 (Geometrically, P + Q is the inverse of the third point of intersection of the cubic with the line through P and Q.) - if Q = P then P + Q = R, where
- in the prime case xR = λ2 − 2xP, yR = λ(xP − xR) − yP, and
, or - in the binary case xR = λ2 + λ + a,
, and  (Geometrically, 2P is the inverse of the third point of intersection of the cubic with its tangent line at P.) Certicom's Online ECC Tutorial contains a Java applet that can be used to experiment with addition in different EC groups. We already described the underlying field and the group of points of elliptic curve but there is yet another mathematical structure commonly used in cryptography — a cyclic subgroup of . For any point G the set In group theory, a cyclic group or monogenous group is a group that can be generated by a single element, in the sense that the group has an element g (called a generator of the group) such that, when written multiplicatively, every element of the group is a power of...
In group theory, given a group G under a binary operation *, we say that some subset H of G is a subgroup of G if H also forms a group under the operation *. More precisely, H is a subgroup of G if the restriction of * to H is a group...
 is a cyclic group. It is convenient to use the following notation: 0G = O, 1G = G, 2G = G + G, 3G = G + G + G, etc. The calculation of kG, where k is an integer and G is a point, is called scalar multiplication.
Cryptographic schemes Since the (additive) cyclic group described above can be considered similar to the (multiplicative) group of powers of an integer g modulo prime p: , the problem of finding k given points kG and G is called the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem (ECDLP). The assumed hardness of several problems related to the discrete logarithm in the subgroup of allows cryptographic use of elliptic curves. Most of the elliptic curve cryptographic schemes are related to the discrete logarithm schemes which were originally formulated for usual modular arithmetic: In mathematics, specifically in abstract algebra and its applications, discrete logarithms are group-theoretic analogues of ordinary logarithms. ...
Not all the DLP schemes should be ported to the elliptic curve domain. For example, the well known ElGamal encryption scheme was never standardized by official bodies and should not be directly used over an elliptic curve (the standard encryption scheme for ECC is called Elliptic Curve Integrated Encryption Scheme). The main reason is that although it is straightforward to convert an arbitrary message (of limited length) to an integer modulo p, it is not that simple to convert a bitstring to a point of a curve (it is not true that for every x there is a y such that ). (Another factor is that ElGamal scheme is vulnerable to chosen-ciphertext attacks.) Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH) is a key agreement protocol that allows two parties to estabilish a shared secret key over an insecure channel. ...
Diffie-Hellman key exchange is a cryptographic protocol which allows two parties to agree on a secret key over an insecure communication channel. ...
Elliptic Curve DSA (ECDSA) is a variant of the Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA) which operates on elliptic curve groups. ...
The Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA) is a United States Federal Government standard or FIPS for digital signatures. ...
MQV (Menezes-Qu-Vanstone) is an authenticated protocol for key agreement based on the Diffie-Hellman scheme. ...
MQV (Menezes-Qu-Vanstone) is an authenticated protocol for key agreement based on the Diffie-Hellman scheme. ...
The ElGamal algorithm is an asymmetric key encryption algorithm for public key cryptography which is based on Diffie-Hellman key agreement. ...
Integrated Encryption Scheme (IES) is a public-key encryption scheme which provides semantic security against an adversary who is allowed to use chosen-plaintext and chosen-ciphertext attacks. ...
Some believe that ECDLP-based cryptography is going to replace cryptography based on integer factorization (e.g., RSA) and finite-field cryptography (e.g., DSA). At the RSA Conference 2005, the National Security Agency (NSA) announced Suite B which exclusively uses ECC for digital signature generation and key exchange. The suite is intended to protect both classified and unclassified national security systems and information. The Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA) is a United States Federal Government standard or FIPS for digital signatures. ...
âNSAâ redirects here. ...
Suite B is a set of public key cryptography algorithms based on elliptic curve cryptography promulgated by the US National Security Agency as part of a US Government standard for securing sensitive-but-unclassified (SBU) information. ...
Another major source of cryptographic applications of elliptic curves is bilinear operator (based on the Weil pairing or the Tate pairing) which allows, for example, to make efficient ID-based cryptography (see also The Pairing-Based Crypto Lounge). In mathematics, a bilinear operator is a generalized multiplication which satisfies the distributive law. ...
In mathematics, the Weil pairing is a construction of roots of unity by means of functions on an elliptic curve E, in such a way as to constitute a pairing (bilinear form, though with multiplicative notation) on the torsion subgroup of E. The name is for André Weil, who gave...
ID-based cryptography (or identity based cryptography or identity based encryption) is a key authentication system in which the public key of a user is some unique information about the identity of the user (e. ...
Implementation considerations Although the details of each particular elliptic curve scheme are described in the article referenced above some common implementation considerations are discussed here.
Domain parameters To use ECC all parties must agree on all the elements defining the elliptic curve, that is domain parameters of the scheme. The field is defined by p in the prime case and the pair of m and f in the binary case. The elliptic curve is defined by the constants a and b used in its defining equation. Finally, the cyclic subgroup is defined by its generator (aka. base point) G. For cryptographic application the order of G, that is the smallest non-negative number n such that nG = O, must be prime. Since n is the size of a subgroup of it follows from the Lagrange's theorem that the number is integer. In cryptographic applications this number h, called cofactor, at least must be small ( ) and, preferably, h = 1. Let us summarize: in the prime case the domain parameters are (p,a,b,G,n,h) and in the binary case they are (m,f,a,b,G,n,h). In group theory, the term order is used in two closely related senses: the order of a group is its cardinality, i. ...
Lagranges theorem, in the mathematics of group theory, states that if G is a finite group and H is a subgroup of G, then the order (that is, the number of elements) of H divides the order of G. It is named after Joseph Lagrange. ...
Unless there is an assurance that domain parameters were generated by a party trusted with respect to their use, the domain parameters must be validated before use. The generation of domain parameters is not usually done by each participant since this involves counting the number of points on a curve which is time-consuming and troublesome to implement. As a result several standard bodies published domain parameters of elliptic curves for several common field sizes: Test vectors are also available [1]. If one (despite the said above) wants to build his own domain parameters he should select the underlying field and then use one of the following strategies to find a curve with appropriate (i.e., near prime) number of points using one of the following methods: - select a random curve and use a general point-counting algorithm, for example, Schoof's algorithm or Schoof-Elkies-Atkin algorithm,
- select a random curve from a family which allows easy calculation of the number of points (e.g., Koblitz curves), or
- select the number of points and generate a curve with this number of points using complex multiplication technique.[3]
Several classes of curves are weak and shall be avoided: Schoofs algorithm, first described by R. Schoof in 1985, allows one to calculate the number of points on an elliptic curve over a finite field and is used mostly in elliptic curve cryptography. ...
The Schoof-Elkies-Atkin algorithm (SEA) is an algorithm used for finding the order of or calculate the number of points on an elliptic curve over a finite field. ...
- curves over
with non-prime m are vulnerable to Weil descent attacks.[4][5] - curves such that n divides pB − 1 (where p is the characteristic of the field – q for a prime field, or 2 for a binary field) for sufficiently small B are vulnerable to MOV attack[6][7] which applies usual DLP in a small degree extension field of
to solve ECDLP. The bound B should be chosen so that discrete logarithms in the field are at least as difficult to compute as discrete logs on the elliptic curve .[8] - curves such that
are vulnerable to the attack that maps the points on the curve to the additive group of [9][10][11] Key sizes Since all the fastest known algorithms that allow to solve the ECDLP (baby-step giant-step, Pollard's rho, etc.), need steps, it follows that the size of the underlying field shall be roughly twice the security parameter. For example, for 128-bit security one needs a curve over , where . This can be contrasted with finite-field cryptography (e.g., DSA) which requires[12] 3072-bit public keys and 256-bit private keys, and integer factorization cryptography (e.g., RSA) which requires 3072-bit public and private keys. The hardest ECC scheme (publicly) broken to date had a 109-bit key (that is about 55 bits of security). For the prime field case, it was broken near the beginning of 2003 using over 10,000 Pentium class PCs running continuously for over 540 days (see [2]). For the binary field case, it was broken in April 2004 using 2600 computers for 17 months (see [3]). This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...
Pollards rho algorithm for logarithms is an algorithm for solving the discrete logarithm problem analogous to Pollards rho algorithm for solving the Integer factorization problem. ...
The Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA) is a United States Federal Government standard or FIPS for digital signatures. ...
In cryptography, RSA is an algorithm for public-key encryption. ...
Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
Projective coordinates A close examination of the addition rules shows that in order to add two points one needs not only several additions and multiplications in but also an inversion operation. The inversion (for given find such that xy = 1) is one to two orders of magnitude slower[13] than multiplication. Fortunately, points on a curve can be represented in different coordinate systems which do not require an inversion operation to add two points. Several such systems were proposed: in the projective system each point is represented by three coordinates (X,Y,Z) using the following relation: , ; in the Jacobian system a point is also represented with three coordinates (X,Y,Z), but a different relation is used: , ; in the modified Jacobian system the same relations are used but four coordinates are stored and used for calculations (X,Y,Z,aZ4); and in the Chudnovsky Jacobian system five coordinates are used (X,Y,Z,Z2,Z3). Note that there are may be different naming conventions, for example, IEEE P1363-2000 standard uses "projective coordinates" to refer to what is commonly called Jacobian coordinates. An additional speed-up is possible if mixed coordinates are used.[14] IEEE P1363 is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standardization project for public key cryptography. ...
Fast reduction (NIST curves) Reduction modulo p (which is needed for addition and multiplication) can be executed much faster if the prime p is a pseudo-Mersenne prime that is , for example, p = 2521 − 1 or p = 2256 − 232 − 29 − 28 − 27 − 26 − 24 − 1. Compared to Barrett reduction there can be an order of magnitude speed-up.[15] The curves over with pseudo-Mersenne p are recommended by NIST. Yet another advantage of the NIST curves is the fact that they use a = − 3 which improves addition in Jacobian coordinates. In mathematics, a Mersenne number is a number that is one less than a power of two. ...
NIST-Recommended Elliptic Curves NIST recommends 15 elliptic curves. Specifically, FIPS 186-2 has 10 recommended finite fields. There are 5 prime fields for p192, p224, p256, p284 and p521. For each of the prime fields one randomly selected elliptic curve is recommended. There five binary fields for 2163, 2233, 2283, 2409, and 2571. For each of the binary fields one randomly selected elliptic curve and one Koblitz curve was selected. Thus 5 prime curves and 10 binary curves. The curves were chosen for optimal security and implementation efficiency.[16]
Side-channel attacks Unlike DLP systems (where it is possible to use the same procedure for squaring and multiplication) the EC addition is significantly different for doubling (P = Q) and general addition ( ). Consequently, it is important to counteract side channel attacks (e.g., timing and simple power analysis attacks) using, for example, fixed pattern window (aka. comb) methods[17] (note that this does not increase the computation time). In cryptography, a side channel attack is any attack based on information gained from the physical implementation of a cryptosystem, rather than theoretical weaknesses in the algorithms (compare cryptanalysis). ...
Patents -
Main article: ECC patents At least one ECC scheme (ECMQV) and some implementation techniques are covered by patents. Uncertainty about the availability of unencumbered ECC has limited the acceptance of ECC. Patent-related uncertainty around the Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) is one of the main factors limiting its wide acceptance, for example, the OpenSSL team has accepted the ECC patch only in 2005 (version 0. ...
Example of Useability See also Diffie-Hellman key exchange. Diffie-Hellman (D-H) key exchange is a cryptographic protocol that allows two parties that have no prior knowledge of each other to jointly establish a shared secret key over an insecure communications channel. ...
Alice and Bob agrees on using a public elliptic curve (meaning they both choose to use the same elliptic curve). They also agrees on using one point of the curve. The names Alice and Bob are commonly used placeholders for archetypal characters in fields such as cryptography and physics. ...
Privately, Alice choose an integer and Bob an integer . Alice sends to Bob the point and Bob sends Alice . Each one can then find out which is also a point on the curve, and it is their privately-shared key, used to encrypt data. If Eve has been listening to their communications, she knows . To be able to find out what is, she would have to know what is, knowing and . But if the numbers are very large, we do not know any efficient method to do that in a reasonable time.
Implementations Open source Proprietary/commercial The Cryptographic Application Programming Interface (also known variously as CryptoAPI, Microsoft Cryptography API, or simply CAPI) is an application programming interface included with Microsoft Windows operating systems that provides services to enable developers to secure Windows-based applications using cryptography. ...
Windows Vista is a line of graphical operating systems used on personal computers, including home and business desktops, notebook computers, Tablet PCs, and media centers. ...
Windows Server 2008 is the name of the next server operating system from Microsoft. ...
The Microsoft . ...
Sun Java⢠System Web Server (formerly Sun ONE Web Server, before that iPlanet Web Server, and before that Netscape Enterprise Server) is a web server designed for medium and large business applications. ...
Java Platform, Standard Edition or Java SE (formerly known up to version 5. ...
Java Card refers to a technology that allows small Java-based applications (applets) to be run securely on smart cards and similar devices. ...
References - ^ N. Koblitz, Elliptic curve cryptosystems, in Mathematics of Computation 48, 1987, pp. 203–209
- ^ V. Miller, Use of elliptic curves in cryptography, CRYPTO 85, 1985.
- ^ G. Lay and H. Zimmer, Constructing elliptic curves with given group order over large finite fields, Algorithmic Number Theory Symposium, 1994.
- ^ S.D. Galbraith and N.P. Smart, A cryptographic application of the Weil descent, Cryptography and Coding, 1999.
- ^ P. Gaudry, F. Hess, and N.P. Smart, Constructive and destructive facets of Weil descent on elliptic curves, Hewlett Packard Laboratories Technical Report, 2000.
- ^ A. Menezes, T. Okamoto, and S.A. Vanstone, Reducing elliptic curve logarithms to logarithms in a finite field, IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, Volume 39, 1993.
- ^ L. Hitt, On an Improved Definition of Embedding Degree, IACR ePrint report 2006/415.
- ^ IEEE P1363, section A.12.1
- ^ I. Semaev, Evaluation of discrete logarithm in a group of P-torsion points of an elliptic curve in characteristic P, Mathematics of Computation, number 67, 1998.
- ^ N. Smart, The discrete logarithm problem on elliptic curves of trace one, Journal of Cryptology, Volume 12, 1999.
- ^ T. Satoh and K. Araki, Fermat quotients and the polynomial time discrete log algorithm for anomalous elliptic curves, Commentarii Mathematici Universitatis Sancti Pauli, Volume 47, 1998.
- ^ NIST, Recommendation for Key Management — Part 1: general, Special Publication 800-57, August 2005.
- ^ Y. Hitchcock, E. Dawson, A. Clark, and P. Montague, Implementing an efficient elliptic curve cryptosystem over GF(p) on a smart card, 2002.
- ^ H. Cohen, A. Miyaji, T. Ono, Efficient Elliptic Curve Exponentiation Using Mixed Coordinates, ASIACRYPT 1998.
- ^ M. Brown, D. Hankerson, J. Lopez, and A. Menezes, Software Implementation of the NIST Elliptic Curves Over Prime Fields.
- ^ FIPS PUB 186-2, Digital Signature Standard (DSS).
- ^ M. Hedabou, P. Pinel, and L. Beneteau, A comb method to render ECC resistant against Side Channel Attacks, 2004.
See also - Standards for Efficient Cryptography Group (SECG), SEC 1: Elliptic Curve Cryptography, Version 1.0, September 20, 2000.
- D. Hankerson, A. Menezes, and S.A. Vanstone, Guide to Elliptic Curve Cryptography, Springer-Verlag, 2004.
- I. Blake, G. Seroussi, and N. Smart, Elliptic Curves in Cryptography, London Mathematical Society 265, Cambridge University Press, 1999.
- I. Blake, G. Seroussi, and N. Smart, editors, Advances in Elliptic Curve Cryptography, London Mathematical Society 317, Cambridge University Press, 2005.
- L. Washington, Elliptic Curves: Number Theory and Cryptography, Chapman & Hall / CRC, 2003.
- Anoop MS, Elliptic Curve Cryptography -- An Implementation Tutorial, Tata Elxsi, India, January 5, 2007.
- The Case for Elliptic Curve Cryptography, National Security Agency
- Online Elliptic Curve Cryptography Tutorial, Certicom Corp.
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