Anonymous Entity Authentication via Trusted Third Party
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing entity authentication methods reveal the identity of authenticated entities, which is undesirable in scenarios like anonymous voting, where maintaining anonymity is crucial.
Innovation Solution
An anonymous entity authentication method and system where entities disclose only group identity information to a trusted third party for verification, ensuring the identity of the authenticated entity is protected by using tokens and signatures to verify legality without exposing individual identities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional entity authentication methods are used, then the identity of the authenticated entity can be verified for legality, but the identity information of the authenticated entity is disclosed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a trusted third party (TTP) as an intermediary that holds the private key and performs verification operations. The TTP receives authentication requests, generates verification results, and returns them to the requesting entity without exposing the authenticated entity's identity information. This intermediary mechanism enables identity verification while preserving anonymity by decoupling the verification function from identity disclosure.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication process is segmented into distinct functional components: identity verification, token generation, and result transmission. The verification result is separated from the actual identity information, allowing the system to confirm legality without revealing personal data. The authentication protocol divides the process into multiple message exchanges where only verification outcomes, not identity details, are transmitted between entities.
2Loss of information
If anonymous authentication is implemented, then identity information is protected, but the verification process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary setup by establishing trust relationships between entities and the trusted third party before actual authentication occurs. The TTP pre-generates verification capabilities and stores them securely. During authentication, these pre-established trust relationships are leveraged to simplify the verification process, avoiding the need for complex real-time identity management while maintaining anonymity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of what is being verified - instead of verifying identity directly, the system verifies a cryptographic token or signature that represents identity without containing it. This parameter change from direct identity verification to cryptographic proof verification reduces the complexity of handling sensitive information while maintaining verification integrity.
Data Source
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AI summary
An anonymous entity authentication method includes the steps of: an entity B sending RB and IGB; an entity A sending RB, R'A, IGA and IGB to a trusted third party TP, the trusted third party TP checking a group GA and a group GB against IGA and IGB for legality; the trusted third party TP returning ResGA, ResGB and a token TokenTA or returning ResGA, ResGB, TokenTA1 and TokenTA2 to the entity A; the entity A sending TokenAB and IGA to the entity B for authentication by the entity B; and the entity B sending TokenBA to the entity A for authentication by the entity A. In this solution, anonymous entity authentication can be performed without passing identity information of the authenticated entity itself to the opposite entity. Furthermore this solution further relates to an anonymous entity authentication apparatus and a trusted third party.