Lightweight Device Cryptographic Key Exchange via Segmented Symmetric Encryption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing secure communication systems, particularly in lightweight devices like IoT devices, face challenges in performing resource-intensive asymmetric cryptographic operations when devices are low-powered or lacking resources.
Innovation Solution
A memory device with a storage array for cryptographic keys, including a physically unclonable function (PUF) for key generation, and a cryptoprocessor for performing cryptographic operations, such as generating and using symmetric keys for encryption and decryption, reduces the need for resource-intensive asymmetric operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If asymmetric cryptographic operations are performed in lightweight devices, then secure communication is achieved, but computational complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cryptographic system is segmented into two parts: asymmetric cryptography for key exchange and symmetric cryptography for data encryption. This division allows lightweight devices to perform only the necessary asymmetric operations for key establishment, while the more resource-intensive symmetric encryption/decryption is handled by more capable devices, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
A symmetric key acts as an intermediary between the asymmetric key exchange and the actual data encryption. The asymmetric cryptography establishes a shared secret (symmetric key) that then serves as the basis for efficient symmetric encryption/decryption of the actual communication data, reducing the computational burden on lightweight devices.
2Reliability
If asymmetric cryptographic operations are performed in lightweight devices, then secure communication is achieved, but device resources are exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The cryptographic workload is segmented between asymmetric and symmetric operations. Lightweight devices perform only asymmetric key exchange and symmetric encryption/decryption of small overhead data, while the bulk data encryption uses the more efficient symmetric algorithm with the shared key, staying within device resource constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the cryptographic parameters by using different key lengths and algorithms appropriate for each device type. Lightweight devices use optimized parameters for asymmetric operations, while the symmetric operations use parameters that balance security and computational efficiency for the given hardware constraints.
3Productivity
If symmetric key encryption is used, then encryption efficiency is improved, but key distribution security is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric key exchange is performed preliminarily to establish a secure shared secret (symmetric key) before the actual data encryption takes place. This preliminary asymmetric operation ensures that the symmetric key is securely distributed without compromising the efficiency of the subsequent symmetric encryption of the main data payload.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to secure communications using cryptography. A method is disclosed that includes receiving a public key of a recipient; generating, by a sender, a symmetric key based on the public key of the recipient; encrypting, by a sender, a message using the symmetric key to generate an encrypted message; and transmitting a second public key of the sender and the encrypted message to the recipient.