An efficient statistical zero-knowledge authentication protocol for smart cards

Abstract

We construct an efficient statistical zero-knowledge authentication protocol for smart cards based on general assumptions. We show how it can be instantiated using lattice-based primitives, which are conjectured to be secure against quantum attacks. We illustrate the practicality of our protocol on smart cards in terms of storage, computation, communication, and round complexities. Furthermore, we compare it to other lattice-based authentication protocols, which are either zero-knowledge or have a similar structure. The comparison shows that our protocol improves the best previous protocol in several aspects.