Digital wallets with multi-party computation security measure
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-02-04
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-13
Smart Images
Figure US2026013821_13082026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] ATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0002] DIGITAL WALLETS WITH MULTI-PARTY COMPUTATION SECURITY MEASURE FIELD
[0003] The subject matter described herein relates to systems and methods for enabling Multi-Party Computation (MPC) for applications with heightened security needs, such as digital wallets.
[0004] BACKGROUND
[0005] Multi-Party Computation (MPC) is an advanced cryptographic technique that enables multiple parti es / devices to collaboratively compute a function over their inputs while keeping those inputs private from one another. MPC is emerging as a critical technology to enhance security, privacy, and functionality, such as in the fields of digital wallets, cryptocurrency storage, decentralized finance, and multi-device wallets.
[0006] Traditionally, digital wallets rely on single-key architectures where a private key is stored on a user’s device or in a centralized server. FIG.1 shows a private / public key pair architecture used to authenticate messages by ensuring their integrity and verifying the sender’s identity. The key pair consists of a private key 102, which is kept secret by the owner, and a public key 104, which is openly shared. These keys are mathematically linked so that data encrypted or signed with one can only be decrypted or verified using the other. To authenticate a message, the sender first computes a cryptographic hash of the message 106. This hash is a unique, fixed-size representation of the message’s content, ensuring that even the slightest change in the message alters the hash. The sender then encrypts the hash using their private key, creating a digital signature. This signature, along with the message 106, is sent to the recipient. When the recipient receives the message 106, they recompute the hash from the message content and use the sender’s public key 104 to decrypt the digital signature. This decryption reveals the original hash created by the sender. The recipient then compares the decrypted hash with their recomputed hash. If the hashes match, it confirms that the message was not altered during transit and that the signature was created by the sender using their private key 102. This process ensures both the integrity of the message and the authenticity of the sender. The system relies on the secrecy of the private key, the transparency of the public key, and the one-way nature of the cryptographic functions, making it a cornerstone of secure communication protocols like HTTPS, secure email, and blockchain technology.ATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0007] Digital wallets use private / public key pairs to ensure secure authentication and transaction management. Each wallet generates a private key, known only to the owner, and a public key, which can be shared. The public key is often used to derive the wallet address for sending or receiving assets. When a user initiates a transaction, the wallet software uses the private key to create a unique digital signature, proving the transaction’s authenticity and integrity. The recipient or network verifies the signature using the public key, confirming it was authorized by the rightful owner without exposing the private key. Additionally, public keys can encrypt sensitive information, ensuring only the private key holder can decrypt it. This system ensures ownership, tamper-proof transactions, and trust while maintaining confidentiality and control over digital assets.
[0008] This approach, while straightforward, poses significant security risks. For example, if the private key is compromised, lost, or stolen, the user’s assets may be irretrievably lost. To mitigate these vulnerabilities, MPC offers a decentralized approach to key management. In an MPC-based digital wallet, the private key is never created or stored as a whole entity. Instead, it is divided into shares, which are distributed among multiple parties or devices, which are often referred to as “nodes.” Each share, on its own, reveals no information about the private key. These parties or devices can then collaborate through cryptographic protocols to perform operations such as transaction signing, without reconstructing the private key in a single location. Since the private key is never fully assembled, even if one or more shares are compromised, the key remains secure. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the signature of a message is generated using the multiple key shares (e.g., ksl, ks2, ks3, ks3, ks4, ks5) instead of the private key itself. The signature is then used for authentication.
[0009] SUMMARY
[0010] The purpose and advantages of the disclosed subject matter will be set forth in and apparent from the description that follows, as well as will be learned by practice of the disclosed subject matter. Additional advantages of the disclosed subject matter will be realized and attained by the methods and systems particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof, as well as from the drawings.
[0011] Embodiments described herein include a method for secure transaction authorization in a distributed cryptographic system, including storing, at a first computing device, a first key share of a private cryptographic key, wherein the private cryptographicATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0012] key is distributed across a plurality of N devices as N independent key shares; receiving, at the first computing device, a request for a transaction, the request comprising transaction data; generating, by the first computing device, a first partial signature component by performing a multi-party computation (MPC) operation using the first key share and the transaction data; receiving, at the first computing device and via user input, a user-defined threshold T indicating a number of T participants of the plurality of N devices required for the transaction; receiving, from one or more second computing devices of the plurality of N devices, one or more second partial signature components, wherein each second computing device maintains a second key share of the N independent key shares, and wherein each second partial signature component is generated by the respective second computing device using the respective second key share; determining that a combined number of the second partial signature components and the first partial signature component satisfies the threshold T aggregating the first partial signature component and the one or more second partial signature components to generate a valid digital signature for the transaction. Examples of the transaction data includes a destination address, a value amount, a nonce, a chain identifier, a data payload comprising instructions for execution by a smart contract residing on a distributed ledger, or a combination thereof.
[0013] In particular, certain embodiments include techniques for transmitting a request to the one or more second computing devices for the second partial signature components; receiving, at the first computing device, a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a Personal Hardware Security Module (PHSM); receiving, at the first computing device, a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a cold device; receiving, at the first computing device, a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that a value associated with the transaction must exceed a minimum value, must be below a maximum value, or must be within a range of values; receiving, at the first computing device, a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a device designated as a mandatory device.
[0014] In some embodiments, A is a user-defined number. Some embodiments include techniques for, prior to generating the first partial signature component, receiving an indication of successful biometric authentication at the first computing device.ATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0015] Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the subject matter described herein will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the subject matter described herein, and be protected by the accompanying claims. In no way should the features of the example embodiments be construed as limiting the appended claims, absent express recitation of those features in the claims.
[0016] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and are intended to provide further explanation of the disclosed subject matter. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, are included to illustrate and provide a further understanding of the methods and systems of the disclosed subject matter. Together with the description, the drawings explain the principles of the disclosed subject matter.
[0017] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0018] The details of the subject matter set forth herein, both as to its structure and operation, may be apparent by study of the accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the subject matter.
[0019] Moreover, all illustrations are intended to convey concepts, where relative sizes, shapes and other detailed attributes may be illustrated schematically rather than literally or precisely.
[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates an overview a private / public key pair architecture.
[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates an overview a private / public key pair architecture involving multiple key shares.
[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of an MPC-based digital wallet according to embodiments disclosed herein.
[0023] FIG. 4 illustrates an example process involving an MPC-based digital wallet according to embodiments disclosed herein.
[0024] FIG. 5 illustrates an example computer system configured to implement one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein.ATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0025] DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] Reference will now be made in detail to the various exemplary embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, exemplary embodiments of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
[0027] Before the present subject matter is described in detail, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments described, as such may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting, since the scope of the present disclosure will be limited only by the appended claims.
[0028] As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
[0029] MPC offers significant advantages in both security and ease of use. It provides enhanced protection against theft and hacking by eliminating a single point of attack; an attacker would need to simultaneously acquire multiple key shares, making the system significantly more secure. Additionally, MPC reduces the reliance on complex PINs, passwords, or passphrases required in traditional single-key systems, as MPC shifts the burden of security from users to devices. MPC is also highly resilient to loss, addressing common issues such as forgotten PINs or misplaced wallets. Key shares distributed across multiple nodes can be recovered without requiring error-prone recovery processes.
[0030] Moreover, MPC facilitates succession planning by allowing distributed shares to enable asset recovery in cases of death or incapacitation, ensuring heirs or designated parties can access the assets without relying on input from the deceased. With its natural robustness and self-healing capabilities, MPC effectively manages security, loss, and succession without the need for complicated, error-prone systems, making it a practical and secure solution for modern workflows.
[0031] One reason why MPC is secure is that it splits a key into shares and distributes them among multiple independent devices. Digital wallets today are often implemented as an application running on a computing device, such as a mobile device, laptop, or desktop computer. Existing MPC-based digital wallets typically store shares of a key in the device’s secure element combined with one or more connected devices, such as cloud computing nodes or additional mobile devices. While this approach distributes security across multiple online nodes, it introduces potential vulnerabilities because all theATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0032] components are “hot,” meaning they are internet-connected and thus exposed to attack surfaces.
[0033] Particular embodiments described herein remedy the weakness of existing MPC-based digital wallets by incorporating an offline hardware device, referred to as a Personal Hardware Security Module (PHSM), as part of the Personal Management Console / Controller (PMC) topography. This PHSM functions as a “cold” device, disconnected from the internet, thereby significantly reducing the attack surface. The idea is that even if a cyberattack comprises all the “hot” online nodes, the cyberattack would not be able to access the “cold” PHSM since it is not online. The offline nature of the PHSM enhances the overall security architecture by limiting the exposure of sensitive keys or data to online threats.
[0034] Another benefit of including PHSM in a MPC topography is that it provides an alternative, easy-to-use authentication mechanism compared to the traditional knowledgebased security methods. With PHSM, possession of the hardware becomes the gate for authentication. Possession, therefore, replaces knowledge (e.g., remembering passwords) as a form of authentication. Knowledge-based security methods are becoming less effective due to their vulnerability to breaches, poor memorability, and weak entropy. In contrast, hardware keystores such as PHSM offer a superior solution by combining strong security with ease of use. These keystores provide (1) orders of magnitude better security than biometrics or knowledge-based method; (2) effectively unlimited entropy, ensuring highly secure and unpredictable keys; (3) effectively unlimited endurance, meaning they are resistant to repeated attacks; and (4) purpose-built security with minimal attack surface, making them highly secure against unauthorized access.
[0035] As discussed, an MPC’ s greatest strength lies in its ability to distribute key shares across multiple devices, making it significantly more challenging for the secret to be compromised. Additionally, using a variety of storage devices to secure these key shares further enhances the security of MPC, as an attacker would need to bypass not only multiple security barriers but also different types of barriers, each with its own set of strengths and weaknesses. As summarized in Table 1 below, different types of devices for storing key shares have different pros and cons. For example, general-purpose hardware, such as a mobile phone, is something that the user would likely already have, so it can be used for storing key shares without incurring additional costs to the user. However, a mobile phone’s primary use relies on Internet connection, which means it is almost alwaysATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0036] “hot,” and adding additional phones simply for MPC purposes is cost-prohibitive (e.g., each phone could cost hundreds of dollars). Another storage solution is to shares in the Cloud. Cloud-based storage of a key share is scalable, can be fairly low-cost, and is professionally managed, but it is also inherently “hot” and could be vulnerable to attacks. In contrast, PHSM is a specialized hardware for key store and is normally cold / offline since it serves no other purpose other than storing shares for MPC computation. As such, it is not vulnerable to cyberattacks, but it can be physically stolen or lost. Thus, given the different strengths and weaknesses of different storage devices, a strong MPC topography would incorporate multiple types of devices and include at least one PHSM to guard against cyberattacks.
[0037]
[0038] ATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0039]
[0040] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of an MPC-based digital wallet 300 that securely distributes key shares across multiple types of nodes. In this example, the nodes include a cloud-based Hardware Security Module (HSM) 302, the Secure Element 302 of the mobile device running the digital wallet, and one or more Personal Hardware Security Modules (PHSMs) 304, 306, 308. The digital wallet 300 utilizes an enhanced Multi-Party Computation (eMPC) algorithm to retrieve these key shares (or alternatively, retrieve partial signature components generated using such key shares) from the various nodes and compute the cryptographic signature required to authorize specific access or transactions. Since the PHSMs are offline or “cold” when they’re not in use, they provide an additional layer of security since they cannot be compromised via cyberattacks.
[0041] In FIG. 3, the key shares are represented by the key symbol, and thus FIG. 3 shows at least five key shares distributed to Cloud HSM 302, a mobile device implementing the digital wallet 300, and at least three PHSMs (PHSM 1, PHSM 2, PHSM n). In particular embodiments, Key Management Services (KMS) may be configured to manage the lifecycle of cryptographic key shares, including processes for creation, storage, rotation, and deletion. Such KMS may be stored within a mobile device of a user or in the cloud. In particular embodiments, the digital signature used to sign a transaction may be a Zero- Knowledge Proof Signature (ZKP Signature). A ZKP Signature allows a user to prove they have the authority to sign a transaction without revealing which specific key or shard was used. For example, in a scenario where four of the five key shares are used to generate a ZKP Signature, the ZKP Signature indicates that at least four of the five devices / participants signed the transaction but hides which four signed the transaction.ATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0042] As will be described in further detail below, an embodiment of an MPC-based digital wallet offers users the flexibility to choose any desired MPC topology. Users can select an arbitrary number of computational nodes (A) to securely distribute shares of their cryptographic keys. These nodes can be a combination of software and hardware devices. The versatility of this system supports a wide range of topologies tailored to the user’s specific requirements. For instance, a single user might distribute key shares across multiple devices or locations to enhance both privacy and security. Alternatively, in a collaborative use case, multiple users — each equipped with one or more devices — can collectively manage group decisions or access to the digital wallet. This adaptability ensures the digital wallet meets diverse needs, whether for individual security or shared governance. In particular embodiments, the MPC-based digital wallet may allow a user to require at least one storage device to be cold (e.g., PHSM). Doing so allows the digital wallet scheme to take on the nature and benefit of having a “cold” wallet (i.e., it is not vulnerable to cyberattacks).
[0043] The manner in which a PHSM communicates with a digital wallet must be carefully designed to avoid introducing vulnerabilities into the MPC system. For example, a mobile phone running the digital wallet may be connected to a PHSM through a physical or wireless communication link. Once the PHSM and the mobile device are connected, their respective shares of the key will lack independence, unless additional security measures are implemented to ensure their separation. Thus, to ensure the PHSM remains secure and independent, particular embodiments of the PHSM and digital wallet may set up a secure logical channel through their established wired or wireless communication link. In this manner, the PHSM can communicate with the digital wallet directly through the secure logical channel, thereby preserving the multi-party independence of the PHSM despite the shared communication link. In another embodiment, the PHSM may have an integrated wide-area modem (e.g., cellular) or short-range wireless capabilities (e.g., BLE or NFC) that can be used to communicate with a digital wallet. This allows the PHSM to independently communicate with the digital wallet without relying on any other device, which can be shareholders. In yet another embodiment, the PHSM may communicate with the digital wallet via any suitable air-gapped methods, such as QR codes, for additional security.
[0044] In particular embodiments, the PHSM itself may have security mechanisms so that mere possession of the PHSM is insufficient. For example, the PHSM may have aATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0045] fingerprint sensor or any other suitable type of biometric authentication sensor. As another example, the PHSM may require a passphrase or passcode. In order for the PHSM to be used as part of an MPC process, its possessor must be able to successfully authenticate itself via the security mechanism of the PHSM.
[0046] In particular embodiments, the PHSM may be configured to be attachable to items that the average person already carries to avoid requiring its user to carry a separate device. For example, the PHSM could have a link that allows it to be secured to a keychain. As another example, the PHSM could have a dimension similar to that of a credit card so that it can fit within a wallet or purse along with other credit cards. As yet another example, the PHSM could be designed to attach to the user’s cell phone or phone case.
[0047] Under the MPC security scheme, a key may spawn N number of shares which are then distributed to their respective devices. In particular embodiments, to generate a valid signature, a threshold T number of shares out of the N total shares may be required (i.e., T is the quorum needed to generate a valid digital signature). Thus, T-of-N threshold refers to a cryptographic setup where a total of N participants / devices collectively hold shares of a private key, and at least T participants / devices are required to collaborate to generate a valid digital signature. The private key is never reconstructed or revealed in full, as each participant only holds a securely generated share of the key. During signature generation, participants execute a series of cryptographic operations that combine their individual shares in a distributed manner to produce the signature, ensuring the private key remains fragmented and secure throughout the process. The system is resilient to collusion, as any number fewer than T participants cannot reconstruct the private key or forge a signature.
[0048] In particular embodiments where a digital signature is to be generated, each of the individual devices may generate a partial signature component using its respective key share and transmit the partial signature component to the primary device (e.g., user device implementing the digital wallet) or to a cloud server that is associated with the digital wallet. In such an embodiment, the key shares are not transmitted themselves, and thus minimizes the risk of key shares ending up in the hands of unintended party.
[0049] The advantages of a T-of-N threshold setup are significant, especially in high-security environments. First, it enhances security by reducing the risk of private key compromise, as the key does not exist in a single location. This makes it resilient to insider threats and cyberattacks targeting individual participants. Second, it improves faultATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0050] tolerance and reliability; even if up to TV minus T participants are unavailable or compromised, the signature can still be generated by the remaining participants. This is particularly beneficial in distributed systems or environments prone to failures. Finally, threshold signatures support decentralized trust, as no single party has full control over the private key, making it ideal for collaborative systems, such as blockchain networks or digital asset custody solutions, where trust minimization and accountability are critical.
[0051] In particular embodiments, an MPC-based digital wallet system may allow for custom selection of the total number of shares of a key (TV) and the threshold number of shares (7) required to generate a valid signature. This selection can be tailored by the product designer, such as through an SDK or during product setup, or it can be left configurable for the end user. In some implementations, this configuration may also be dynamic, enabling the end user to adjust N and T at any time. Unlike systems where N and T are both fixed, the flexible approach allows product designers and / or end users to custom design an MPC topography to adapt to any context.
[0052] In particular embodiments, an MPC-based digital wallet system may further allow for the selection of the number of hot and / or cold devices required for signature generation. For example, a user (e.g., product designer or end user) may specify a particular N and T, and further require C out of the 7 threshold number of shares to be stored on a “cold’-device, such as the aforementioned PHSM (e.g., C must be at least 1). Having such a requirement would ensure that the PMC signature generation process is not vulnerable to cyberattacks.
[0053] An MPC-based digital wallet with the aforementioned customization options allow users to create an MPC scheme that is adaptable to any context. For example, a user may wish to create a topography for recovery in case the user loses or forgets one or more of the keystore devices (e.g., devices storing key shares). For instance, the user may set up a TV=5 and 7=3 system, where three shares are directly under the user’s control and the remining two shares are given to other trusted parties. Normally, the user does not need the fourth and fifth devices for daily operation since the user has control over three shares. The fourth and fifth devices do not constitute a threshold and so cannot, even by collusion, take control of the user’s asset. But if the user ever loses or two of the three shares under the user’s control, the user may still recover and gain access to the asset with the aid of the two trusted parties.ATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0054] As another example use case, the MPC -based digital wallet may be used to manage the activities of a group or organization. In such a scenario, N may be set to correspond to the total number of managers / voters in the group / organization, and T may be set to the quorum of managers / voters needed to access the asset. As long as a minimum T number of managers / voters wish to access the asset and perform a transaction, they can. Conversely, fewer than T number of managers / voters will be unable to access the asset since they do not have the minimum quorum to generate a valid signature via the MPC process.
[0055] Another use case involves implementing transaction policies that impose certain conditions beyond the basic threshold of T-of-N required to calculate a signature. For instance, a smart contract may specify that for certain transactions — such as those exceeding a specific amount — particular shares must be included among the T signers (e.g., these shares may be considered as dominant shares). These specific shares might correspond to individuals whose approval is mandatory (e.g., largest stakeholders, owners, or managers). Consequently, even if a quorum of T is met by other participants, the transaction cannot proceed without the specified individual’s signature.
[0056] Similarly, a policy may require that one of the specific shares used is stored on a “cold” device. This ensures that transactions exceeding predetermined thresholds (e.g., those above a certain value) involve at least one share safeguarded by a “cold” device, providing an added layer of security against cyberattacks.
[0057] FIG.4 illustrates an example method 400 for secure transaction authorization in a distributed cryptographic system. The method 400 is compatible with the above disclosure, particularly those corresponding to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 and related descriptions. The method may begin at step 410 where a system associated with the digital wallet 300 may be configured to store a first key share of a private cryptographic key, where the private cryptographic key is distributed across a plurality of A devices as N independent key shares. For example, the first key share may be stored at a user computing device such as a mobile phone. In particular embodiments, the number N may be user-defined such that a user defines the number of key shares to be generated from a private key. As noted above, once the key shares are generated from the private key and distributed to individual devices, the private key always remains fragmented and never exists in its entirety. The system herein refers to one or more computing devices that are associated with a digital wallet 300, which may include but are not limited to a user computing deviceATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0058] implementing the digital wallet and / or a cloud server that is associated with the digital wallet 300.
[0059] At step 420, the system may receive a request for a transaction, the request comprising transaction data. This may involve, for example, a user initiating a process to transfer digital assets on a particular blockchain network. Example of transaction data include a destination address, a value amount, a nonce, a chain identifier, a data payload comprising instructions for execution by a smart contract residing on a distributed ledger, or a combination thereof.
[0060] At step 430, the system may generate a first partial signature component by performing a multi-party computation (MPC) operation using the first key share and the transaction data. This step may be performed on a user computing device at which the digital wallet 300 is being executed on.
[0061] At step 440, the system may receive, via user input, a user-defined threshold T indicating a number of T participants of the plurality of N devices required for the transaction. Additionally, as discussed above, the system may be configured to allow a user to define or change both N and T, essentially allowing the user to choose the number of key shares to generate from a private key and to choose the number of minimum key shares needed to authorize a transaction. Furthermore, in particular embodiments, additional requirements may be configured to authenticate the transaction. For example, the system may be configured to require at least one the T devices to be a PHSM or at least one of the T devices to be a cold device. The system may also be configured to require the transaction value of the transaction to be a specified amount, exceed a minimum value, be below a maximum value, or be within a range of values. The system may also implement a requirement that at least one of the T devices to be from a group of individuals with dominant shares (e.g., largest stakeholders, owners, or managers). Any of the requirements or thresholds noted above may be user-defined, or in other embodiments, automatically implemented by the system.
[0062] At step 450, the system may receive, from one or more second computing devices of the plurality of A devices, one or more second partial signature components, where each second computing device maintains a second key share of the N independent key shares, and where each second partial signature component is generated by the respective second computing device using the respective second key share. In particular embodiments, the generation of partial signature components by respective devices (e.g., first computingATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0063] device or second computing device) may first require successful authentication using password, passcode, or biometric authentication.
[0064] At step 460, the system may determine a combined number of the second partial signature components and the first partial signature component satisfies the threshold T.
[0065] At step, 470, the system may aggregate the first partial signature component and the one or more second partial signature components to generate a valid digital signature for the transaction. Thereafter, the system may be configured to broadcast the valid digital signature and the transaction data to a blockchain network to execute the transaction.
[0066] Particular embodiments may repeat one or more steps of the method of FIG. 4, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular steps of the method of FIG. 4 as occurring in a particular order, this disclosure contemplates any suitable steps of the method of FIG. 4 occurring in any suitable order. Moreover, although this disclosure describes and illustrates an example method secure transaction authorization in a distributed cryptographic system including the particular steps of the method of FIG. 4, this disclosure contemplates any suitable method for secure transaction authorization in a distributed cryptographic system, which may include all, some, or none of the steps of the method of FIG. 4, where appropriate. Furthermore, although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular components, devices, or systems carrying out particular steps of the method of FIG. 4, this disclosure contemplates any suitable combination of any suitable components, devices, or systems carrying out any suitable steps of the method of FIG. 4.
[0067] While the method 400 is described as relating to authenticating a transaction in a distributed network such as a blockchain network, the method 400 is also compatible with governance use cases where instead of a “transaction” in a blockchain, there exists a “vote" or other “action" that requires approval by multiple distributed devices or participants. Examples of such use cases include voting in a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), where a threshold number of 7 participants are required to implement an action by the organization. Another non-limiting example include voting to upgrade or revise protocols associated with certain networks (e.g., blockchain network) where a threshold number of T participants are required to implement the protocol upgrade or revision.
[0068] In an alternative embodiment to FIG. 4, each of keystore devices may be configured to transmit their respective key shares to the primary device (e.g., userATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0069] computing device implementing the digital wallet, or a cloud server associated with the digital wallet) instead of generating and transmitting partial signature components. In this embodiment, the primary device may be configured to obtain the respective key shares and generate a signature using the necessary key shares.
[0070] FIG.5 illustrates an example computer system 500. In particular embodiments, one or more computer systems 500 perform one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein. In particular embodiments, one or more computer systems 500 provide functionality described or illustrated herein. In particular embodiments, software running on one or more computer systems 500 performs one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein or provides functionality described or illustrated herein. Particular embodiments include one or more portions of one or more computer systems 500. Herein, reference to a computer system may encompass a computing device, and vice versa, where appropriate. Moreover, reference to a computer system may encompass one or more computer systems, where appropriate.
[0071] This disclosure contemplates any suitable number of computer systems 500. This disclosure contemplates computer system 500 taking any suitable physical form. As example and not by way of limitation, computer system 500 may be an embedded computer system, a system-on-chip (SOC), a single-board computer system (SBC) (such as, for example, a computer-on-module (COM) or system-on-module (SOM)), a desktop computer system, a laptop or notebook computer system, an interactive kiosk, a mainframe, a mesh of computer systems, a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a server, a tablet computer system, or a combination of two or more of these. Where appropriate, computer system 500 may include one or more computer systems 500; be unitary or distributed; span multiple locations; span multiple machines; span multiple data centers; or reside in a cloud, which may include one or more cloud components in one or more networks. Where appropriate, one or more computer systems 500 may perform without substantial spatial or temporal limitation one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein. As an example and not by way of limitation, one or more computer systems 500 may perform in real time or in batch mode one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein. One or more computer systems 500 may perform at different times or at different locations one or more steps of one or more methods described or illustrated herein, where appropriate.ATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0072] In particular embodiments, computer system 500 includes a processor 502, memory 504, storage 506, an input / output (I / O) interface 508, a communication interface 510, and a bus 512. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular computer system having a particular number of particular components in a particular arrangement, this disclosure contemplates any suitable computer system having any suitable number of any suitable components in any suitable arrangement.
[0073] In particular embodiments, processor 502 includes hardware for executing instructions, such as those making up a computer program. As an example and not by way of limitation, to execute instructions, processor 502 may retrieve (or fetch) the instructions from an internal register, an internal cache, memory 504, or storage 506; decode and execute them; and then write one or more results to an internal register, an internal cache, memory 504, or storage 506. In particular embodiments, processor 502 may include one or more internal caches for data, instructions, or addresses. This disclosure contemplates processor 502 including any suitable number of any suitable internal caches, where appropriate. As an example and not by way of limitation, processor 502 may include one or more instruction caches, one or more data caches, and one or more translation lookaside buffers (TLBs). Instructions in the instruction caches may be copies of instructions in memory 504 or storage 506, and the instruction caches may speed up retrieval of those instructions by processor 502. Data in the data caches may be copies of data in memory 504 or storage 506 for instructions executing at processor 502 to operate on; the results of previous instructions executed at processor 502 for access by subsequent instructions executing at processor 502 or for writing to memory 504 or storage 506; or other suitable data. The data caches may speed up read or write operations by processor 502. The TLBs may speed up virtual-address translation for processor 502. In particular embodiments, processor 502 may include one or more internal registers for data, instructions, or addresses. This disclosure contemplates processor 502 including any suitable number of any suitable internal registers, where appropriate. Where appropriate, processor 502 may include one or more arithmetic logic units (ALUs); be a multi-core processor; or include one or more processors 502. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular processor, this disclosure contemplates any suitable processor.
[0074] In particular embodiments, memory 504 includes main memory for storing instructions for processor 502 to execute or data for processor 502 to operate on. As an example and not by way of limitation, computer system 500 may load instructions fromATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0075] storage 506 or another source (such as, for example, another computer system 500) to memory 504. Processor 502 may then load the instructions from memory 504 to an internal register or internal cache. To execute the instructions, processor 502 may retrieve the instructions from the internal register or internal cache and decode them. During or after execution of the instructions, processor 502 may write one or more results (which may be intermediate or final results) to the internal register or internal cache. Processor 502 may then write one or more of those results to memory 504. In particular embodiments, processor 502 executes only instructions in one or more internal registers or internal caches or in memory 504 (as opposed to storage 506 or elsewhere) and operates only on data in one or more internal registers or internal caches or in memory 504 (as opposed to storage 506 or elsewhere). One or more memory buses (which may each include an address bus and a databus) may couple processor 502 to memory 504. Bus 512 may include one or more memory buses, as described below. In particular embodiments, one or more memory management units (MMUs) reside between processor 502 and memory 504 and facilitate accesses to memory 504 requested by processor 502. In particular embodiments, memory 504 includes random access memory (RAM). This RAM may be volatile memory, where appropriate. Where appropriate, this RAM may be dynamic RAM (DRAM) or static RAM (SRAM). Moreover, where appropriate, this RAM may be single -ported or multi-ported RAM. This disclosure contemplates any suitable RAM. Memory 504 may include one or more memories 504, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular memory, this disclosure contemplates any suitable memory.
[0076] In particular embodiments, storage 506 includes mass storage for data or instructions. As an example and not by way of limitation, storage 506 may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive, flash memory, an optical disc, a magneto-optical disc, magnetic tape, or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive or a combination of two or more of these. Storage 506 may include removable or non-removable (or fixed) media, where appropriate. Storage 506 may be internal or external to computer system 500, where appropriate. In particular embodiments, storage 506 is non-volatile, solid-state memory. In particular embodiments, storage 506 includes read-only memory (ROM). Where appropriate, this ROM may be mask-programmed ROM, programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), electrically alterable ROM (EAROM), or flash memory or a combination of two or more of these. ThisATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0077] disclosure contemplates mass storage 506 taking any suitable physical form. Storage 506 may include one or more storage control units facilitating communication between processor 502 and storage 506, where appropriate. Where appropriate, storage 506 may include one or more storages 506. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates particular storage, this disclosure contemplates any suitable storage.
[0078] In particular embodiments, I / O interface 508 includes hardware, software, or both, providing one or more interfaces for communication between computer system 500 and one or more I / O devices. Computer system 500 may include one or more of these I / O devices, where appropriate. One or more of these I / O devices may enable communication between a person and computer system 500. As an example and not by way of limitation, an I / O device may include a keyboard, keypad, microphone, monitor, mouse, printer, scanner, speaker, still camera, stylus, tablet, touch screen, trackball, video camera, another suitable I / O device or a combination of two or more of these. An I / O device may include one or more sensors. This disclosure contemplates any suitable I / O devices and any suitable I / O interfaces 508 for them. Where appropriate, VO interface 508 may include one or more device or software drivers enabling processor 502 to drive one or more of these VO devices. I / O interface 508 may include one or more VO interfaces 508, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular I / O interface, this disclosure contemplates any suitable VO interface.
[0079] In particular embodiments, communication interface 510 includes hardware, software, or both providing one or more interfaces for communication (such as, for example, packet-based communication) between computer system 500 and one or more other computer systems 500 or one or more networks. As an example and not by way of limitation, communication interface 510 may include a network interface controller (NIC) or network adapter for communicating with an Ethernet or other wire-based network or a wireless NIC (WNIC) or wireless adapter for communicating with a wireless network, such as a WI-FI network. This disclosure contemplates any suitable network and any suitable communication interface 510 for it. As an example and not by way of limitation, computer system 500 may communicate with an ad hoc network, a personal area network (PAN), a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), or one or more portions of the Internet or a combination of two or more of these. One or more portions of one or more of these networks may be wired or wireless. As an example, computer system 500 may communicate with a wireless PAN (WPAN)ATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0080] (such as, for example, a BLUETOOTH WPAN), a WI-FI network, a WLMAX network, a cellular telephone network (such as, for example, a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network), or other suitable wireless network or a combination of two or more of these. Computer system 500 may include any suitable communication interface 510 for any of these networks, where appropriate. Communication interface 510 may include one or more communication interfaces 510, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular communication interface, this disclosure contemplates any suitable communication interface.
[0081] In particular embodiments, bus 512 includes hardware, software, or both coupling components of computer system 500 to each other. As an example and not by way of limitation, bus 512 may include an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) or other graphics bus, an Enhanced Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, a front-side bus (FSB), a HYPERTRANSPORT (HT) interconnect, an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, an INFINIBAND interconnect, a low-pin-count (LPC) bus, a memory bus, a Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, a PCLExpress (PCIe) bus, a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association local (VLB) bus, or another suitable bus or a combination of two or more of these. Bus 512 may include one or more buses 512, where appropriate. Although this disclosure describes and illustrates a particular bus, this disclosure contemplates any suitable bus or interconnect.
[0082] Herein, a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium or media may include one or more semiconductor-based or other integrated circuits (ICs) (such, as for example, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or application-specific ICs (ASICs)), hard disk drives (HDDs), hybrid hard drives (HHDs), optical discs, optical disc drives (ODDs), magneto-optical discs, magneto-optical drives, floppy diskettes, floppy disk drives (FDDs), magnetic tapes, solid-state drives (SSDs), RAM-drives, SECURE DIGITAL cards or drives, any other suitable computer-readable non-transitory storage media, or any suitable combination of two or more of these, where appropriate. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium may be volatile, non-volatile, or a combination of volatile and non-volatile, where appropriate.
[0083] Herein, “or” is inclusive and not exclusive, unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context. Therefore, herein, “A or B” means “A, B, or both,” unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context. Moreover, “and” is bothATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0084] joint and several, unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context. Therefore, herein, “A and B” means “A and B, jointly or severally,” unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context.
[0085] The scope of this disclosure encompasses all changes, substitutions, variations, alterations, and modifications to the example embodiments described or illustrated herein that a person having ordinary skill in the art would comprehend. The scope of this disclosure is not limited to the example embodiments described or illustrated herein. Moreover, although this disclosure describes and illustrates respective embodiments herein as including particular components, elements, feature, functions, operations, or steps, any of these embodiments may include any combination or permutation of any of the components, elements, features, functions, operations, or steps described or illustrated anywhere herein that a person having ordinary skill in the art would comprehend.
[0086] Furthermore, reference in the appended claims to an apparatus or system or a component of an apparatus or system being adapted to, arranged to, capable of, configured to, enabled to, operable to, or operative to perform a particular function encompasses that apparatus, system, component, whether or not it or that particular function is activated, turned on, or unlocked, as long as that apparatus, system, or component is so adapted, arranged, capable, configured, enabled, operable, or operative. Additionally, although this disclosure describes or illustrates particular embodiments as providing particular advantages, particular embodiments may provide none, some, or all of these advantages.
[0087] It should be noted that all features, elements, components, functions, and steps described with respect to any embodiment provided herein are intended to be freely combinable and substitutable with those from any other embodiment. If a certain feature, element, component, function, or step is described with respect to only one embodiment, then it should be understood that that feature, element, component, function, or step can be used with every other embodiment described herein unless explicitly stated otherwise. This paragraph therefore serves as antecedent basis and written support for the introduction of claims, at any time, that combine features, elements, components, functions, and steps from different embodiments, or that substitute features, elements, components, functions, and steps from one embodiment with those of another, even if the following description does not explicitly state, in a particular instance, that such combinations or substitutions are possible. Thus, the foregoing description of specific embodiments of the disclosed subject matter has been presented for purposes ofATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0088] illustration and description. It is explicitly acknowledged that express recitation of every possible combination and substitution is overly burdensome, especially given that the permissibility of each and every such combination and substitution will be readily recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art.
[0089] While the embodiments are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific examples thereof have been shown in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the method and system of the disclosed subject matter without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosed subject matter. Thus, it is intended that the disclosed subject matter include modifications and variations that are within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Furthermore, any features, functions, steps, or elements of the embodiments may be recited in or added to the claims, as well as negative limitations that define the inventive scope of the claims by features, functions, steps, or elements that are not within that scope.
[0090] Exemplary embodiments are set out in the following numbered clauses.
[0091] Clause 1. A method for secure transaction authorization in a distributed cryptographic system, the method comprising:
[0092] storing, at a first computing device, a first key share of a private cryptographic key, wherein the private cryptographic key is distributed across a plurality of N devices as N independent key shares;
[0093] receiving, at the first computing device, a request for a transaction, the request comprising transaction data;
[0094] generating, by the first computing device, a first partial signature component by performing a multi-party computation (MPC) operation using the first key share and the transaction data;
[0095] receiving, at the first computing device and via user input, a user-defined threshold T indicating a number of T participants of the plurality of N devices required for the transaction;
[0096] receiving, from one or more second computing devices of the plurality of N devices, one or more second partial signature components, wherein each second computing device maintains a second key share of the N independent key shares, and wherein each secondATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0097] partial signature component is generated by the respective second computing device using the respective second key share;
[0098] determining that a combined number of the second partial signature components and the first partial signature component satisfies the threshold T;
[0099] aggregating the first partial signature component and the one or more second partial signature components to generate a valid digital signature for the transaction.
[0100] Clause 2. The method of clause 1, further comprising transmitting a request to the one or more second computing devices for the second partial signature components.
[0101] Clause 3. The method of clauses 1 or 2, further comprising receiving, at the first computing device, a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a Personal Hardware Security Module (PHSM).
[0102] Clause 4. The method of any of clauses 1 to 3, further comprising receiving, at the first computing device, a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a cold device.
[0103] Clause 5. The method of any of clauses 1 to 4, further comprising receiving, at the first computing device, a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that a value associated with the transaction must exceed a minimum value, must be below a maximum value, or must be within a range of values.
[0104] Clause 6. The method of any of clauses 1 to 5, further comprising receiving, at the first computing device, a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a device designated as a mandatory device.
[0105] Clause 7. The method of any of clauses 1 to 6, wherein A is a user-defined number.
[0106] Clause 8. The method of any of clauses 1 to 7, further comprising, prior to generating the first partial signature component, receiving an indication of successful biometric authentication at the first computing device.ATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0107] Clause 9. The method of any of clauses 1 to 8, wherein the transaction data includes a destination address, a value amount, a nonce, a chain identifier, a data payload comprising instructions for execution by a smart contract residing on a distributed ledger, or a combination thereof.
[0108] Clause 10. One or more computer- readable non-transitory storage media of including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, are configured to cause the one or more processors to:
[0109] store a first key share of a private cryptographic key, wherein the private cryptographic key is distributed across a plurality of N devices as N independent key shares; receive a request for a transaction, the request comprising transaction data;
[0110] generate a first partial signature component by performing a multi-party computation (MFC) operation using the first key share and the transaction data:
[0111] receive, via user input, a user-defined threshold T indicating a number of T participants of the plurality of N devices required for the transaction;
[0112] receive, from one or more second computing devices of the plurality of N devices, one or more second partial signature components, wherein each second computing device maintains a second key share of the N independent key shares, and wherein each second partial signature component is generated by the respective second computing device using the respective second key share;
[0113] determine that a combined number of the second partial signature components and the first partial signature component satisfies the threshold T;
[0114] aggregate the first partial signature component and the one or more second partial signature components to generate a valid digital signature for the transaction.
[0115] Clause 11. The one or more computer- readable non-transitory storage media of clause 10, wherein the instructions are configured to further cause the one or more processors to: receive a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a Personal Hardware Security Module (PHSM).
[0116] Clause 12. The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of clauses 10 or 11 , wherein the instructions are configured to further cause the one or more processors to:ATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0117] receive a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a cold device.
[0118] Clause 13. The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of any of clauses 10 to 12, wherein the instructions are configured to further cause the one or more processors to:
[0119] receive a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that a value associated with the transaction must exceed a minimum value, must be below a maximum value, or must be within a range of values.
[0120] Clause 14. The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of any of clauses 10 to 13, wherein the instructions are configured to further cause the one or more processors to:
[0121] receive a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a device designated as a mandatory device.
[0122] Clause 15. The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of any of clauses 10 to 14, wherein A is a user-defined number.
[0123] Clause 16. A system comprising: one or more processors; and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media in communication with the one or more processors, the one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:
[0124] store a first key share of a private cryptographic key, wherein the private cryptographic key is distributed across a plurality of N devices as N independent key shares; receive a request for a transaction, the request comprising transaction data; generate a first partial signature component by performing a multi-party computation (MFC) operation using the first key share and the transaction data;
[0125] receive, via user input, a user-defined threshold T indicating a number of T participants of the plurality of N devices required for the transaction;
[0126] receive, from one or more second computing devices of the plurality of N devices, one or more second partial signature components, wherein each second computing device maintains a second key share of the N independent key shares, and wherein each secondATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110
[0127] partial signature component is generated by the respective second computing device using the respective second key share;
[0128] determine that a combined number of the second partial signature components and the first partial signature component satisfies the threshold T
[0129] aggregate the first partial signature component and the one or more second partial signature components to generate a valid digital signature for the transaction.
[0130] Clause 17. The system of clause 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to:
[0131] receive a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a Personal Hardware Security Module (PHSM).
[0132] Clause 18. The system of clauses 16 or 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to:
[0133] receive a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a cold device.
[0134] Clause 19. The system of any of clauses 16 to 18, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to:
[0135] receive a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that a value associated with the transaction must exceed a minimum value, must be below a maximum value, or must be within a range of values.
[0136] Clause 20. The system of any of clauses 16 to 19, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to:
[0137] receive a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a device designated as a mandatory device.
Claims
ATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110What is claimed is:
1. A method for secure transaction authorization in a distributed cryptographic system, the method comprising:storing, at a first computing device, a first key share of a private cryptographic key, wherein the private cryptographic key is distributed across a plurality of N devices as N independent key shares;receiving, at the first computing device, a request for a transaction, the request comprising transaction data;generating, by the first computing device, a first partial signature component by performing a multi-party computation (MPC) operation using the first key share and the transaction data;receiving, at the first computing device and via user input, a user-defined threshold T indicating a number of T participants of the plurality of N devices required for the transaction;receiving, from one or more second computing devices of the plurality of N devices, one or more second partial signature components, wherein each second computing device maintains a second key share of the N independent key shares, and wherein each second partial signature component is generated by the respective second computing device using the respective second key share;determining that a combined number of the second partial signature components and the first partial signature component satisfies the threshold T;aggregating the first partial signature component and the one or more second partial signature components to generate a valid digital signature for the transaction.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a request to the one or more second computing devices for the second partial signature components.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the first computing device, a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a Personal Hardware Security Module (PHSM).ATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.01104. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the first computing device, a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a cold device.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the first computing device, a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that a value associated with the transaction must exceed a minimum value, must be below a maximum value, or must be within a range of values.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the first computing device, a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a device designated as a mandatory device.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein N is a user-defined number.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to generating the first partial signature component, receiving an indication of successful biometric authentication at the first computing device.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction data includes a destination address, a value amount, a nonce, a chain identifier, a data payload comprising instructions for execution by a smart contract residing on a distributed ledger, or a combination thereof.
10. One or more computer- readable non-transitory storage media of including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, are configured to cause the one or more processors to:store a first key share of a private cryptographic key, wherein the private cryptographic key is distributed across a plurality of N devices as N independent key shares;receive a request for a transaction, the request comprising transaction data; generate a first partial signature component by performing a multi-party computation (MPC) operation using the first key share and the transaction data;receive, via user input, a user-defined threshold T indicating a number of T participants of the plurality of N devices required for the transaction;ATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.0110receive, from one or more second computing devices of the plurality of N devices, one or more second partial signature components, wherein each second computing device maintains a second key share of the N independent key shares, and wherein each second partial signature component is generated by the respective second computing device using the respective second key share;determine that a combined number of the second partial signature components and the first partial signature component satisfies the threshold T;aggregate the first partial signature component and the one or more second partial signature components to generate a valid digital signature for the transaction.
11. The one or more computer- readable non-transitory storage media of claim 10, wherein the instructions are configured to further cause the one or more processors to: receive a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a Personal Hardware Security Module (PHSM).
12. The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 10, wherein the instructions are configured to further cause the one or more processors to: receive a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a cold device.
13. The one or more computer- readable non-transitory storage media of claim 10, wherein the instructions are configured to further cause the one or more processors to: receive a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that a value associated with the transaction must exceed a minimum value, must be below a maximum value, or must be within a range of values.
14. The one or more computer- readable non-transitory storage media of claim 10, wherein the instructions are configured to further cause the one or more processors to: receive a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a device designated as a mandatory device.
15. The one or more computer- readable non-transitory storage media of claim 10, wherein A is a user-defined number.ATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.011016. A system comprising: one or more processors; and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media in communication with the one or more processors, the one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:store a first key share of a private cryptographic key, wherein the private cryptographic key is distributed across a plurality of N devices as N independent key shares;receive a request for a transaction, the request comprising transaction data; generate a first partial signature component by performing a multi-party computation (MFC) operation using the first key share and the transaction data;receive, via user input, a user-defined threshold T indicating a number of T participants of the plurality of N devices required for the transaction;receive, from one or more second computing devices of the plurality of N devices, one or more second partial signature components, wherein each second computing device maintains a second key share of the N independent key shares, and wherein each second partial signature component is generated by the respective second computing device using the respective second key share;determine that a combined number of the second partial signature components and the first partial signature component satisfies the threshold Taggregate the first partial signature component and the one or more second partial signature components to generate a valid digital signature for the transaction.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the instractions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to:receive a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a Personal Hardware Security Module (PHSM).
18. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to:receive a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a cold device.ATTORNEY DOCKET PATENT APPLICATION 088603.011019. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to:receive a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that a value associated with the transaction must exceed a minimum value, must be below a maximum value, or must be within a range of values.
20. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to:receive a requirement to authorize the transaction, the requirement indicating that at least one of the T devices must be a device designated as a mandatory device.