Secret Key Research Articles

6D Hyperchaotic Encryption Model for Ensuring Security to 3D Printed Models and Medical Images

In the 6G era, where ultra-fast and reliable communication is expected to be ubiquitous, encryption shall continue to play a crucial role in ensuring the security and privacy of data. Encryption and decryption of medical images and 3D printed models using 6D hyperchaotic function is proposed in this research work for ensuring security in data transfer. Here we envisage using a six-dimensional hyperchaotic system for encryption purposes which shall offer a high level of security due to its complex and unpredictable dynamics with multiple positive Lyapunov exponents. This system can potentially enhance the encryption process for 3D objects and medical images, ensuring the protection of sensitive data and preventing unauthorized access. A hyperchaotic system is a type of dynamical system characterized by exhibiting more than one positive Lyapunov exponent, which indicates strong sensitivity to initial conditions. These systems have more degrees of freedom and complex and intricate dynamics compared to standard chaotic systems. The security of the encryption scheme depends on the complexity of the hyperchaotic system and the randomness of the secret key. The parameters of a 6D hyperchaotic system shall be used as an encryption key with six dimensions, each with its range of values, and shall provide many possible keys. In this work, we implemented a 6D hyperchaotic system for the encryption of the 3D printed model and medical images. The performance evaluation was done by metrics entropy, correlation, Number of Pixels Change Rate (NPCR), and Unified Averaged Changed Intensity (UACI) which revealed the robustness of the encryption model in ensuring security. Hyperchaotic systems can be efficiently implemented in parallel computing architectures, which allow faster encryption and decryption processes.

A physical layer secret key consistency enhancement scheme using constellation decision information

Secret key generation based on a wireless channel (WC-SKG) is a promising solution to address the security issues in wireless communication. However, the consistency of channel estimation between two legal communication nodes in WC-SKG is often poor due to the receiver noise, signal power, etc., leading to a low secret key generation rate (SKGR). Although there are several denoising algorithms such as orthogonal transformation to address this issue, existing schemes overlook the fact that data symbols are also affected by the channel. This results in existing schemes only using the pilot symbols for channel estimation and not fully utilizing the received signal power of the WC-SKG. To address this issue, we propose a consistency enhancement algorithm based on constellation decision information (CEA-CDI), which utilizes both pilot symbols and soft decision information of data symbols to improve SKGR. Monte Carlo simulation and numerical results demonstrate that our proposed scheme can improve performance by approximately 16 dB compared to initial channel estimation.

A Consumer-Oriented Image Transformation Scheme with a Secret Key for Privacy Protection

A Consumer-Oriented Image Transformation Scheme with a Secret Key for Privacy Protection

On Pre-Processing of Generalized Gamma Fading Channel Samples for Secret Key Generation

On Pre-Processing of Generalized Gamma Fading Channel Samples for Secret Key Generation

Leakage-Resilient Hybrid Signcryption in Heterogeneous Public-key Systems

Signcryption integrates both signature and encryption schemes into single scheme to ensure both content unforgeability (authentication) and message confidentiality while reducing computational complexity. Typically, both signers (senders) and decrypters (receivers) in a signcryption scheme belong to the same public-key systems. When signers and decrypters in a signcryption scheme belong to heterogeneous public-key systems, this scheme is called a hybrid signcryption scheme which provides more elastic usage than typical signcryption schemes. In recent years, a new kind of attack, named side-channel attack, allows adversaries to learn a portion of the secret keys used in cryptographic algorithms. To resist such an attack, leakage-resilient cryptography has been widely discussed and studied while a large number of leakage-resilient schemes have been proposed. Also, numerous hybrid signcryption schemes under heterogeneous public-key systems were proposed, but none of them possesses leakage-resilient property. In this paper, we propose the first hybrid signcryption scheme with leakage resilience, called leakage-resilient hybrid signcryption scheme, in heterogeneous public-key systems (LR-HSC-HPKS). Security proofs are demonstrated to show that the proposed scheme provides both authentication and confidentiality against two types of adversaries in heterogeneous public-key systems.

IRS-Assisted Secret Key Generation with Transceiver Hardware Impairments

IRS-Assisted Secret Key Generation with Transceiver Hardware Impairments

The enhancement of quantum key distribution protocol to increase communication security between two parties

In this research, a new technique based on quantum key distribution (QKD) is described to lower the likelihood that eavesdroppers can intercept two-party communications without being detected by the sender and the recipient. The central idea is to enhance BB84 by increasing two quantum gates, Pauli-X gate and Pauli-Z gate, on both the sender and receiver sides to change the direction of each quantum state. This signifies that three control parameters must be specified to control three gates on both sides, excluding the control parameter for the quantum gate that generates a random bit on the sender side. In fact, the possibility that eavesdroppers may discreetly capture the information is 0.5 for nearly all methods. However, the probability of information captured by an eavesdropper decreases to 0.25 when all conceivable cases from Tables 1 through 7 are considered. Therefore, the proposed technique for exchanging the secret key is more secure and should be chosen for the implementation.

B+-Tree-Quantization-Based Shared Secret Key Extraction Scheme from Atmospheric Optical Wireless Channel

B+-Tree-Quantization-Based Shared Secret Key Extraction Scheme from Atmospheric Optical Wireless Channel

Advancing IoT Device Security in Smart Cities: Through Innovative Key Generation and Distribution With D_F, Gf, and Multi-Order Recursive Sequences

In today's mass communication landscape, security is a paramount concern, notably with the rapid expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT). Various methods aim to bolster IoT communication security, particularly by regulating access between IoT devices and networks. Encrypting data with a shared secret key is crucial, considering the limited capabilities of these devices, demanding a lightweight yet robust control mechanism. While traditional methods like Diffie-Hellman facilitated secure communication, vulnerabilities arose from modular and exponential equations. Our paper proposed a mathematical refinement of the Diffie Hellman (D_H) protocol. By leveraging GF finite fields and multi-order recursive sequences, this enhanced method aims to fortify confidentiality and complexity in exchanged keys, enabling secure data transmission while remaining efficient for resource restricted IoT devices. Validation using the Affine encryption method demonstrates considerable improvements in complexity, security, and speed. Incorporating Galois field (GF) and third-order sequencing enhances secrecy and complexity, ensuring swift computational processes.

An Efficient Image Encryption Method Based on Enhanced Josephus Problem and a Non-Invertible Economic Map

As an increasing number of digital images are created and transmitted over the internet, there is growing concern over their unauthorized use, which has a big impact on both security and privacy concerns. In this research, we provide a fast and secure image encryption scheme by using an enhanced Josephus problem and two-dimensional non-invertible economic chaotic map (2D-ECM) to safely and covertly protect digital image information throughout public channel transmission. First, the initial values of the 2D-ECM map are generated based on Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA-256) and the input secret key. Then, the Josephus problem is enhanced by substituting the extract operation with location exchange and dynamic start location and step size is employed to scramble the image pixels. In order to integrate the confusion process and diffusion process, the enhanced Josephus problem is utilized indirectly to choose two random columns from the scrambled image and random image to XOR them with the current column. The evaluation results prove that the proposed image cryptosystem is more efficient compared to existing cryptosystems.

Design and Implementation of Multi-key Blowfish and CAST Algorithm: Comparative Study with CBC, CFB and CTR Modes

In modern communication systems, secret keys are used to secure sensitive information such as personal data, financial transactions and government secrets. However, the security of these systems is only as strong as the secrecy of the key utilized for encrypting and decrypting the data. The use of easy guessable or compromised keys can lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, and identity theft. Additionally, the distribution and management of secret keys present challenges such as key generation, key distribution, key revocation, and key renewal, which can be complex and costly. Therefore, finding secure and efficient methods to manage secret keys is crucial for ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive information in today's digital age. Therefore, to improve the security of the symmetric encryption algorithms, The new method to encrypt and decrypt the difference size files using multiple keys is proposed. In addition to investigate the impact of using multiple keys on the security and performance of symmetric algorithms. However, the multiple keys are generated previously using MD5 and SHA2. The chosen algorithms in this study are Blowfish and CAST, with chosen three modes of operation: CBC, CFB and CTR. The results presented in the paper demonstrated that the Blowfish algorithm with generated multiple keys outperforms in the CBC mode despite has the most encryption and decryption time-consuming and memory usage. Where the randomness of Blowfish with mode CBC and CTR is the best throughput then it follows Blowfish with mode CFB.

Cryptographic Security Approach for Biometric Verification System

This paper presents cryptography which is the science of encryption and decryption to protect fingerprint that can be transmitted from sender to receiver. This security approach (cryptography) can also be applicable to other biometric traits like face, iris, retina and palm print. The significant of this protective medium is to prevent intruders or attacker to easily perceive the presence of fingerprint images. The method that was utilized for implementation of this cryptographic security approach for fingerprint verification System was achieved through Elliptic Curve Cryptography and Hill Cipher Algorithm. An elliptic Curve Function was defined and its domain parameters were used to generate self invertible key matrix that was used for the encryption and decryption process of the biometric images (Fingerprint, Face and Ear ) The security approach was also improved by ensuring that the decryption can only be done through secret key. After decryption, fingerprint verification was done by extracting and matching distinct feature (ridges) from template fingerprint and distinct feature from input fingerprint. The result obtained from demonstration of the cryptographic approach allows end users to load fingerprint image, encrypt it at sending end. At receiver end, end user can decrypt the fingerprint image. Image enhancement was later done before authentication through extraction and matching of distinct features. This model will prevent destruction and manipulation of stored fingerprint image. Authentication can also be accomplished through biological traits instead of use of password that can be stolen or transferred to relative.

A novel quantum ring signature based on secret sharing

Quantum signature has become a hot topic in the current research of digital signature schemes due to its unconditional security. As a special kind of digital signature, ring signatures are frequently employed in practical situations because of their superior anonymity. In this work, we propose a quantum ring signature scheme based on secret sharing that does not use entanglement states. To guarantee the complete security of the participants’ secret keys, the idea of secret sharing is incorporated into the quantum key distribution process during the key distribution stage. Each ring member contributes his private key share to the final verification formula through a recursive relationship throughout the signing and verification phases, and the verifier can utilize his private key share along with the user’s public key to confirm the ring members’ authenticity; The [Formula: see text]-AS2U hash function is used to encrypt the ring signer’s identity during the entire signature process, which assures the signer’s identity’s complete anonymity, effectively protects the signer’s privacy, and is more in line with practical requirements.

Asymmetric multi-image wavelength multiplexing cryptosystem using QZ algorithm and unequal modulus decomposition

An asymmetric multi-image cryptosystem based on wavelength multiplexing is proposed in this paper. Multi-image characteristic of the encryption process has been realized by the QZ synthesis process. Unequal modulus decomposition is used to make the scheme robust to any basic cryptographic attacks. The encryption process has a complex setup that involves phase retrieval algorithms but the decryption is quite simple and fast and can be realized on the hybrid system. Although the scheme is validated on grayscale multi-images, it can also process color images. Cryptosystem is exposed to statistical attacks, noise attacks, and data loss attacks, apart from basic cryptographic attacks. Simulation established the fortitude of the cryptosystem to these attacks. We also analyzed the key space and key sensitivity, and the results show that the cryptosystem has a large key space to resist any brute-force attack. Comparative analysis with similar schemes on multi-image reveals that the cryptosystem has several merits and it is secure against basic and special attacks.

5G-AKA-FS: A 5G Authentication and Key Agreement Protocol for Forward Secrecy.

5G acts as a highway enabling innovative digital transformation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution in our lives. It is undeniable that the success of such a paradigm shift hinges on robust security measures. Foremost among these is primary authentication, the initial step in securing access to 5G network environments. For the 5G primary authentication, two protocols, namely 5G Authentication and Key Agreement (5G-AKA) and Improved Extensible Authentication Protocol Method for 3rd Generation Authentication and Key Agreement (EAP-AKA'), were proposed and standardized, where the former is for 3GPP devices, and the latter is for non-3GPP devices. Recent scrutiny has unveiled vulnerabilities in the 5G-AKA protocol, exposing it to security breaches, including linkability attacks. Moreover, mobile communication technologies are dramatically evolving while 3GPP has standardized Authentication and Key Management for Applications (AKMA) to reuse the credentials, generated during primary authentication, for 5G network applications. That makes it so significant for 5G-AKA to be improved to support forward secrecy as well as address security attacks. In response, several protocols have been proposed to mitigate these security challenges. In particular, they tried to strengthen security by reusing secret keys negotiated through the Elliptic Curve Integrated Encryption Scheme (ECIES) and countering linkability attacks. However, they still have encountered limitations in completing forward secrecy. Motivated by this, we propose an augmentation to 5G-AKA to achieve forward security and thwart linkability attacks (called 5G-AKA-FS). In 5G-AKA-FS, the home network (HN), instead of using its static ECIES key pair, generates a new ephemeral key pair to facilitate robust session key negotiation, truly realizing forward security. In order to thoroughly and precisely prove that 5G-AKA-FS is secure, formal security verification is performed by applying both BAN Logic and ProVerif. As a result, it is demonstrated that 5G-AKA-FS is valid. Besides, our performance comparison highlights that the communication and computation overheads are intrinsic to 5G-AKA-FS. This comprehensive analysis showcases how the protocol effectively balances between security and efficiency.

Secret Key Management in Wireless Sensor Network Based on Probabilistic Technique

Data confidentiality implies that data access is limited to authorized entities only, thus measured data and transmitted data by wireless sensors require optimum security and privacy. Various techniques have been employed to implement effective security mechanisms for a wireless sensor network. However, the arsenal of these potential solutions is useless, considering the constrained nature of the Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) resources in terms of memory, processing and computational capacity. While considering an effective solution for this situation, care must be taken not to trade the desired solution for other factors. This paper considers the implementation of a probabilistic approach for key management in WSN. In the implementation, all kinds of communication within the wireless sensor nodes are presented by forwarding encrypted keys for mutual authentication. A successful authentication opens a communication channel for the communicating nodes. The encrypted keys are computed by generating a polynomial which constitutes the hashed ID concatenated with the master key and Message Authentication Code (MAC) address of the node. The results presented from the simulation of this model are benchmarked with the Dynamically Generated Polynomial (DGP). The proposed model was simulated using MATLAB tools and the comparison of the results obtained shows that the proposed model outperforms the DGP model by 87%, based on the key metrics which are energy consumption, storage and communication overhead.

Numerical security analysis of the three-state quantum key distribution protocol with realistic devices

Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a secure communication method that utilizes the principles of quantum mechanics to establish secret keys. The central task in the study of QKD is to prove security in the presence of an eavesdropper with unlimited computational power. In this work, we successfully solve a long-standing open question of the security analysis for the three-state QKD protocol with realistic devices, i.e., the weak coherent-state source. We prove the existence of the squashing model for the measurement settings in the three-state protocol. This enables the reduction of measurement dimensionality, allowing for key rate computations using the numerical approach. We conduct numerical simulations to evaluate the key rate performance. The simulation results show that we achieve a communication distance of up to 200 km.

Autoencoder-based joint image compression and encryption

Recently, learning-based methods have developed rapidly, with promising results in many areas. And deep learning models are expected to be the next-generation optimal image compression solutions. This paper proposes a new image compression and encryption framework that integrates encryption algorithms with a deep-learning compression network. Our work employs Auto-Encoder (AE) based compression network as the backbone. After extracting semantic features from the learning network, encryption layers are added to introduce end-to-end learning to image encryption. And for a higher level of visual security, the parameters of the synthesis network are replaced by a new parameter matrix based on a logistic map controlled by a secret key. The encryption key of the system is derived from the image content, which will be embedded in the deep feature vectors to save the cost of sending the key for different images. Another secret key, which will be shared among other images, is used for controlling the embedding process. And to learn the entropy model from the scrambled feature maps, an attention scheme is exploited in estimating parameters to achieve more effective compression. Experimental results and the security analysis using Kodak dataset show that the proposed scheme can achieve a sufficiently high-security level with high compression efficiency.

Software implementation of the data encryption module on the BeagleBone platform for data transmission systems with increased cryptoresistance

In today's digital world, where the exchange of information is an integral part of our daily lives, ensuring information security becomes a criticaltask. This work aimsto develop an information protection module for data encryption on the BeagleBone platform for data transmission systems with increased crypto resistance. Itis a hardware system based on a BeagleBone AI 64 microcomputer with antennas for transmitting/receiving data. Since the information is transmitted over a physically unprotected channel, developing a module that will encrypt the data is necessary. The information protection module ensures the confidentiality of the transmitted data in the system using the AES symmetric encryption algorithm with a variable key length (128/192/256 bits). Regardless of the hardware platform, it is characterized by universality, as it can be run on the Linux kernel adapted for use on embedded systems. Providesoptions for configuring protocols and encryption algorithms. In the process of developing the security module, modern encryption methods and algorithms were used (AES 128/192/256 –for data encryption, RSA –for the distribution of secret keys), in addition, a lightweight protocol for secure data transmission Scplight was implemented as an alternative to OpenSSL, which improves transfer speed on low-power hardware platforms. The developed information protection module has undergone thorough testing on a real system. Thedevelopment of the information protection module is based on the need for a universal component that provides high-quality data protection in wireless communication systems. This module will accelerate the development of relatively affordable physical means of secure communication, a critical partofsuch projects. The module is implemented as a library written in the C language, which implements an API for establishing a secure connection and further forwarding information over an unprotected transmissionchannel. In addition, a configurator programallows you to change the module settings even in real-time when client applications use it. This ensures continuous, seamless, and secure data exchangeandconvenient configuration of the module. Many supporting libraries were used in the development process, including Crypton, Libgcrypt, Openssl, Ncurses and Sqlite3.

High-dimensional Encoding in the Round-Robin Differential-Phase-Shift Protocol

In quantum key distribution (QKD), protocols are tailored to adopt desirable experimental attributes, including high key rates, operation in high noise levels, and practical security considerations. The round-robin differential phase shift protocol (RRDPS), falling in the family of differential phase shift protocols, was introduced to remove restrictions on the security analysis, such as the requirement to monitor signal disturbances, improving its practicality in implementations. While the RRDPS protocol requires the encoding of single photons in high-dimensional quantum states, at most, only one bit of secret key is distributed per sifted photon. However, another family of protocols, namely high-dimensional (HD) QKD, enlarges the encoding alphabet, allowing single photons to carry more than one bit of secret key each. The high-dimensional BB84 protocol exemplifies the potential benefits of such an encoding scheme, such as larger key rates and higher noise tolerance. Here, we devise an approach to extend the RRDPS QKD to an arbitrarily large encoding alphabet and explore the security consequences. We demonstrate our new framework with a proof-of-concept experiment and show that it can adapt to various experimental conditions by optimizing the protocol parameters. Our approach offers insight into bridging the gap between seemingly incompatible quantum communication schemes by leveraging the unique approaches to information encoding of both HD and DPS QKD.