A New Encryption-Decryption Scheme that Solves Key Management Problem in Remote Sensing Satellite

Abstract

The use of encryptions in remote sensing satellites for encrypting payload data / images are increasing day by day, especially for high-resolution payloads. Most of the encryption schemes employed is private key encryption, where encryption key and decryption key is same. Key management problem starts when a satellite uses private key schemes and supplies data to multiple ground stations. These ground stations may be under official contract to receive the data from the satellite for particular period of time. The problem with the schemes is if any ground station leaks the key information to the other ground station whose official contract is expired the encryption schemes fails. Further if the satellite service provider leaks the key information to the intruder, the private key schemes fails. This paper brings out the issues with the key management problem of private key encryption in remote sensing satellite and provides a solution to the problem. The solution is a new encryption scheme that uses combination of both private key and public key encryption schemes.