XOR Key Share Mixing for Side-Channel-Resistant Key Derivation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing encryption systems are vulnerable to side-channel attacks due to the reuse of encryption keys, leading to potential data compromise, and conventional methods to mitigate these attacks increase computational and storage costs.
Innovation Solution
A system using a plurality of share selecting modules and a bit-wise XOR gate to generate unique encryption keys by mixing key shares, reducing the need for persistent storage of unique keys and minimizing side-channel vulnerabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a common encryption key is reused for multiple encryptions to simplify key management, then device complexity is reduced, but security reliability deteriorates due to vulnerability to side-channel attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The encryption key is segmented into multiple key shares that are stored separately in different storage buffers. Each share selecting module selects one key share, and the selected shares are combined through XOR operation to reconstruct the encryption key. This segmentation prevents side-channel attacks from compromising the entire key, as each individual share provides limited information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces share selecting modules and XOR combination logic as intermediaries between the stored key shares and the encryption process. These intermediaries dynamically combine key shares to generate unique encryption keys for each operation, preventing direct exposure of the base key shares to side-channel attacks while maintaining encryption functionality.
2Reliability
If unique encryption keys are generated for each encryption to prevent key compromise, then security reliability is improved, but device complexity and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically generates unique encryption keys for each encryption operation by selectively combining stored key shares. The share selecting modules choose different combinations of key shares based on operational requirements, and the XOR combination logic dynamically reconstructs keys. This dynamic approach provides unique keys without requiring storage of numerous pre-generated keys.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of key representation by storing key shares instead of complete keys. Each key share represents a partial parameter of the full encryption key. By varying the combination of key shares through the share selecting modules, the system generates different encryption keys without changing the underlying stored shares, thus reducing storage requirements while maintaining key uniqueness.
3Quantity of substance
If key shares are mixed and matched to generate unique keys, then storage requirements are reduced, but computational overhead increases due to multiple XOR operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses only the necessary number of key shares required to reconstruct each encryption key, rather than combining all available shares. The share selecting modules selectively activate only the required subset of key shares for each operation, performing the minimum number of XOR operations needed. This partial action approach reduces computational overhead while still generating unique keys and maintaining security.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly enhances security against side-channel attacks while minimizing storage and computational overhead by generating a large number of unique keys from a limited set of key shares, thus conserving resources and improving encryption robustness.
Implementation Method 1
A bit-wise XOR gate is connected to the share selecting modules and is configured to bit-wise XOR all selected key shares to generate a mixed key on its output
Data Source
AI summary
A system for generating keys comprises a plurality of share selecting modules, each module containing multiple storage buffers connected to a selector. For a given key mixing operation, the selector chooses a key share stored in one of the buffers. A bit-wise XOR gate is connected to the share selecting modules and is configured to bit-wise XOR all selected key shares to generate a mixed key on its output.