Concept for exchanging cryptographic key information
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cryptographic key exchange methods are impractical for scenarios involving a large number of devices or communication partners, especially in IoT scenarios where direct and secure key exchange becomes unfeasible, particularly in contexts like vehicle-to-vehicle communication, due to the need for secure channels and individual reachability.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a central authority secures key exchange by storing a shared secret on a newly initialized device, verifying it with a signature, encrypting it with a central authority's public key, and delivering it to the central authority, allowing secure key exchange and authentication in distributed networks using Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) to reduce manipulation and reliance on trusted intermediaries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If direct secure key exchange between all devices is implemented, then authentication security is improved, but system complexity and impracticality increase for large numbers of devices
Solution Approach 1:
A central authority is introduced as an intermediary to manage key distribution. The central authority generates key pairs, signs public keys, and distributes them to multiple devices. This eliminates the need for direct peer-to-peer key exchange between all device pairs, reducing complexity from O(n²) to O(n) while maintaining security through cryptographic signatures.
2Reliability
If individual secure channels are established between each device pair, then communication security is improved, but scalability deteriorates when many devices are involved
Solution Approach 1:
The central authority performs multiple functions: key generation, signature creation, public key distribution, and device registration. This single multi-functional entity serves all devices in the network, enabling scalable secure communication without requiring individual secure channel setup between each device pair.
3Reliability
If all devices are individually known and reachable for key exchange, then key distribution security is improved, but adaptability to dynamic IoT networks deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Devices automatically obtain their key pairs and public keys from the central authority without requiring manual configuration or pre-established secure channels. The system is self-configuring: devices simply connect to the central authority, receive their cryptographic materials, and begin secure communication immediately, enabling dynamic joining and leaving of devices.
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b~2a
Figure 2b~3b
AI summary
The present invention relates to computer-implemented methods, devices, and computer programs for exchanging cryptographic key information. A computer-implemented method for exchanging cryptographic key information between a device (100) and a central authority (200) comprises obtaining (110) a cryptographic secret, wherein the cryptographic secret of the central authority is known. The method further comprises obtaining (120) a public key of the central authority. The method further comprises generating (130) a cryptographic key pair for the device, consisting of a private key of the device and a public key of the device. The method further comprises signing (140) the cryptographic secret with the private key of the device.The procedure further comprises encrypting (150) the cryptographic secret signed with the device's private key with the central authority's public key. The procedure further comprises providing (160) the encrypted and signed cryptographic secret, an address of an electronic mailbox of the device, and the device's public key to the central authority via an electronic mailbox of the central authority.