Verifiable Public Key Generation via Self-Signed Signature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Public key cryptographic systems face issues with key theft and insufficient randomness, leading to security vulnerabilities such as identity theft and fraud, as existing validation methods like PKV and POP do not adequately address the possibility of stolen or poorly generated keys.
Innovation Solution
A method for verifiable key generation using self-signed signatures, where a self-signed signature is generated and used to create a key pair, with a trusted authority contributing randomness to ensure security, and modifications to digital signature algorithms like ECDSA to enhance randomness and prevent exhaustive searches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If public key validation and proof of possession are used, then key security is improved, but the possibility of stolen keys or insufficient randomness cannot be excluded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by requiring the generation of a self-signed signature BEFORE the public key is made operational. This signature serves as cryptographic proof that the key was freshly generated with sufficient randomness and not stolen. The signature is created using a temporary key pair, then the permanent key pair is generated from this signature, ensuring the randomness requirement is met before the key enters service.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary element - the self-signed signature - that mediates between the key generation process and the security verification process. This signature acts as a certificate of authenticity that can be independently verified without requiring the private key, thus proving the key's legitimate origin while maintaining security.
2Reliability
If a self-signed signature is generated and used as input to key generation, then the possibility of stolen keys is excluded, but the complexity of the key generation process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the signature generation and key generation processes into a single unified operation. Instead of separately generating a signature and then using it to generate keys, the system simultaneously generates both the self-signed signature and the key pair from the same cryptographic operations, reducing overall process complexity while maintaining verification capability.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a method of verifiable generation of public keys. According to the method, a self-signed signature is first generated and then used as input to the generation of a pair of private and public keys. Verification of the signature proves that the keys are generated from a key generation process utilizing the signature. A certification authority can validate and verify a public key generated from a verifiable key generation process.