Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A public key cryptographic mechanism provides a measurable degree of minimum security, in an ensemble sense, for two Parties, A and B, to establish a commonly held private cryptographic keying variable between them for establishing communications. Both parties randomly generate m-bit vectors vec.sub.-- A and vec.sub.-- B, store the vectors, then copy the vectors and add m-bit vectors containing n ones. The vectors thus modified are exchanged between the parties. Both parties then respectively bit-by-bit combine, by Exclusive-Or logic, their stored m-bit vectors vec.sub.-- A and vec.sub.-- B with a received vector, denoted rec.sub.-- B and rec.sub.-- A, to generate respective vectors W.sub.-- A and W.sub.--B. Parties A and B then generate all ##EQU1## vectors at a Hamming distance n from W.sub.-- A and W.sub.-- B respectively. These ##EQU2## vectors are each bit-by-bit added, using Exclusive-Or logic, with their encryptions under a publicly known keying variable K.sub.1, forming image vectors. Both parties exchange their image vectors in random order. Both parties then determine the matches between the image vectors they have sent and received, allowing them to determine a commonly held m-bit vector X. Vector X is then used to derive a keying variable for a single key encryption algorithm by encrypting it under the DES ECB/ENCRYPT mode keyed by a publicly known keying variable K.sub.2.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim