Self-Signed Implicit Certificates for Root CA Key Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cryptographic systems face inefficiencies in bandwidth usage and operational transformations when generating and managing certificates, particularly for root Certification Authorities, as they require either large explicit certificates or complex implicit certificate schemes that lack complete authentication verification.
Innovation Solution
A self-signed implicit certificate is generated and operated upon using transformations similar to the Elliptic Curve Qu-Vanstone (ECQV) protocol, allowing a root CA to distribute its public key efficiently without the need for explicit self-signed certificates, thereby initiating a chain of trust while offering bandwidth savings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional explicit certificates are used for root CA public key distribution, then authentication verification is complete and secure, but bandwidth usage increases due to larger certificate size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential authentication verification mechanism from the traditional explicit certificate structure. Instead of transmitting the full explicit certificate with CA signature, the system uses implicit certificates that contain only the necessary cryptographic elements (public key reconstruction value and certificate data) to enable verification through mathematical operations, thereby removing redundant data while preserving security
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the cryptographic parameter representation from explicit signature formats to implicit mathematical relationships. By using elliptic curve cryptography parameters and implicit certificate structures, the system transforms the verification process from signature validation to mathematical computation, achieving both bandwidth efficiency and complete authentication verification
2Loss of energy
If implicit certificates are used to reduce bandwidth usage, then certificate size decreases, but explicit verification of CA signature is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mathematical intermediary mechanism (the public key reconstruction value and certificate data relationship) that mediates between the implicit certificate structure and complete authentication verification. This intermediary enables the verification process to occur through cryptographic operations on the implicit certificate elements without requiring traditional explicit signature verification
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical signature verification process with cryptographic mathematical operations. Instead of explicitly verifying CA signatures through traditional cryptographic validation, the system uses mathematical computations on implicit certificate elements (hash operations, elliptic curve operations) to achieve equivalent or superior verification capabilities
3Reliability
If self-signed explicit certificates are generated for root CA, then authentication is established through trusted events, but operational complexity and transformation requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the root CA to self-generate its public key through cryptographic operations on the implicit certificate elements without requiring external trusted events or manual intervention. The system uses the certificate data and public key reconstruction value to computationally derive the public key, making the authentication establishment process automated and self-service oriented
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the traditional certificate generation approach. Instead of generating an explicit certificate and then extracting the public key, the system generates the public key through cryptographic operations on implicit certificate elements, reversing the conventional workflow and simplifying the operational transformations required
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of generating a first and a second root private key (kCAroot) and establishing a first (IC1CAroot) and a second (IC2CAroot) self-signed implicit certificate that can be operated on to obtain a first and a second corresponding root public key (Q1CAroot, Q2CAroot). The method is performed by a certification authority device (102) that issues certificates in a cryptographic system based on an underlying elliptic group of order n. The certification authority device (102) obtains a long-term root private key (rCAroot) and a corresponding public-key reconstruction value (BCA); obtains a first (ICA1) and a second (ICA2) certificate data; operates on the public-key reconstruction value and the first certificate data (ICA1) to obtain the first self-signed implicit certificate (IC1CAroot); operates on the public-key reconstruction value and the second certificate data (ICA2) to obtain the second self-signed implicit certificate (IC2CAroot); operates on the long-term private root key and the first self-signed implicit certificate to obtain the first root private key; and operates on the long-term private root key and the second self-signed implicit certificate to obtain the second root private key.