State Authorization in Stateful Signatures to Prevent Reuse

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Solution Overview

Problem

State reuse in stateful signature schemes compromises security, and existing backup systems are complex and inefficient, particularly for resource-constrained recipients.

Innovation Solution

A computing device acts as a coordinator to manage and authorize states within a stateful signature scheme, ensuring each signer uses a unique state by maintaining a record of available states and preventing reuse, thereby facilitating secure and efficient signature generation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a private seed value and latest state are copied to a secure alternate location for backup, then resiliency against signer failure is improved, but the risk of state reuse increases and security is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresiliency against signer failureVSAvoidstate reuse risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A coordinator entity is introduced as an intermediary between signers and the state management system. The coordinator authorizes signers to request and use specific states, preventing direct access to backup states and eliminating the security risk of state reuse while maintaining resiliency through centralized state tracking

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If existing backup systems are implemented to protect against signer failure, then reliability is improved, but system complexity increases and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesigner failure protectionVSAvoidbackup system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service through automated state tracking and management by the coordinator. States are automatically authorized, tracked, and invalidated when used, eliminating the need for complex manual backup management systems while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If states are centrally managed and authorized, then state reuse is prevented and security is improved, but the number of operations increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestate uniqueness guaranteeVSAvoidsignature generation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

States are pre-generated and stored in a state space before being needed. The coordinator maintains a record of available states in advance, allowing signers to efficiently request and use pre-prepared states without performing complex operations at the time of signature generation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12603784B2Authorization of states in a stateful signature scheme

Publication Date: 2026.04.14 HEWLETT PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LP

AI summary

In an example, a computing device is described. The computing device comprises an interface to receive a request from a signer for a state. The state is to be used as an input to generate a key under a stateful signature scheme. The computing device further comprises a processor. The processor is to identify an available state that the signer is authorized to use in response to the request received via the interface. The available state is identified from a set of states that can be used by the signer to maintain statefulness of the stateful signature scheme. The processor is further to instruct a reply to be sent to the signer via the interface. The reply comprises an indication of the state that the signer is authorized to use.