Location Authentication via Threshold Secret Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current GPS systems lack authentication features, making them susceptible to fraud, spoofing, and cyber attacks, as they provide no proof-of-origin or authentication of location data.
Innovation Solution
The use of threshold secret sharing and HexAnchors to authenticate a user's location through a cryptographic signature, ensuring that the location is derived from a verified source without revealing any cryptographic secrets or private keys.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If GPS systems provide location data without authentication, then location information is easily accessible and simple to obtain, but the system becomes susceptible to fraud, spoofing, and cyber attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the cryptographic key into multiple shares distributed among different HexAnchor nodes. No single node possesses the complete key, but collectively they can authenticate location data through threshold secret sharing. This segmentation prevents any single point of failure or compromise while maintaining authentication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces HexAnchor nodes as intermediary entities between the location data source and the verification system. These nodes hold shares of the cryptographic key and participate in the authentication process, acting as trusted mediators that verify location authenticity without exposing the complete cryptographic secret.
2Reliability
If cryptographic keys are distributed for location authentication, then location verification security is improved, but the risk of key exposure and fraudulent signature generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cryptographic key is segmented into multiple shares distributed across different HexAnchor nodes. The system implements threshold secret sharing where a minimum number of shares (t+1 out of n) are required to reconstruct the key and generate valid signatures. This ensures that even if some nodes are compromised, the complete key remains secure as long as the threshold is not met.
Solution Approach 2:
The system proactively distributes key shares to multiple nodes before any authentication scenario arises, creating a distributed trust architecture. This beforehand preparation ensures that no single node holds the complete key, providing inherent security cushioning against key exposure risks before they can materialize.
3Reliability
If multiple nodes participate in threshold secret sharing, then location authentication authenticity is improved, but the system complexity and computational overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The HexAnchor nodes serve multiple functions within the system: they store cryptographic key shares, verify location data authenticity, and participate in threshold signature generation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each task, simplifying the overall system architecture despite the distributed nature of the solution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables nodes to autonomously perform verification and authentication operations using their stored key shares. Each node can independently contribute to the authentication process without requiring centralized coordination for every operation, reducing computational overhead and improving system efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer implemented method is provided, which comprises the steps of: broadcasting a request for location data; receiving from a plurality of nodes location data comprising a distance and a public key corresponding to an area proximal to that node; selecting a public key which is common to a set of the plurality of nodes; and requesting the set of nodes to participate in threshold secret sharing to obtain a cryptographic signature associated with the common public key. The method makes use of a blockchain for communicating and verifying data, and includes transferring control of a transaction using the cryptographic signature obtained.