Constructing efficient and secure batch signature schemes

In ordinary signature schemes, such as RSA, DSA, ECDSA, the signing process is performed only for a single message. Due to performance issues, in some contexts, the above solutions will become unsuitable if a party needs to sign multiple messages simultaneously. For example, in the authenticated key exchange protocols based on signatures between client and server, the server is expected to handle multiple key exchange requests from different clients simultaneously. Batch signing is a solution that generates signatures for multi-messages simultaneously with a single (ordinary) signature generation. In this article, we will consider some of the existing batch signing solutions and point out a few of their weakness. To deal with these problems, the paper also proposes two secure types of batch signature schemes, but still ensures the same efficiency as the existing batch signing solution.

A Chaotic-Map-Based Password-Authenticated Key Exchange Protocol for Telecare Medicine Information Systems

Telecare medicine information systems (TMISs) provide e-health services such that patients can access medical resources conveniently and doctors can prescribe treatments rapidly. Authentication is an essential security requirement in TMISs. In particular, the growth of password-based remote patient authenticated key exchange combining extended chaotic maps has enhanced the level of secure communications for TMISs. Recently, Lee suggested an improved random-number-based password-authenticated key exchange (PAKE) using extended chaotic maps and synchronized-clock-based PAKE using extended chaotic maps on Guo and Zhang and Xiao et al.’s PAKE. Unfortunately, we found that the nonce-based scheme of Lee is insecure against known session-specific temporary information and server spoofing attacks. To cope with the aforementioned defects, this study aims to provide a new secure PAKE based on extended chaotic maps with more security functionalities for TMISs. Additionally, we show that the proposed scheme for TMISs provides high security along with low communication cost, computational cost, and a variety of security features.

Improved Verifier-Based Three-Party Password-Authenticated Key Exchange Protocol from Ideal Lattices

With the advent of large-scale social networks, two communication users need to generate session keys with the help of a remote server to communicate securely. In the existing three-party authenticated key exchange (3PAKE) protocols, users’ passwords need to be stored on the server; it cannot resist the server disclosure attack. To solve this security problem, we propose a more efficient 3PAKE protocol based on the verification element by adopting a public-key cryptosystem and approximate smooth projection hash (ASPH) function on an ideal lattice. Using the structure of separating authentication from the server, the user can negotiate the session key only after two rounds of communication. The analysis results show that it can improve the efficiency of computation and communication and resist the server disclosure attack, quantum algorithm attack, and replay attack; moreover, it has session key privacy to the server. This protocol can meet the performance requirement of the current communication network.

A Multi-Microgrid Thermal Game Model Based on Quantum Blockchain

The electricity transactions of microgrids face several problems: the high platform management cost, the low security, and the untimely consumption of scattered electricity. To solve these problems, this paper presents a multi-microgrid thermal game model based on quantum blockchain. Specifically, a dynamic model was established for the noncooperative game between aggregators, microgrids, and large users to maximize the benefit of each party, and to realize the timely consumption of scattered electricity. Next, a transaction platform was constructed based on the two-round password based authenticated key exchange (PAKE) protocol, which eliminates non-interactive zero-knowledge (NIZK), aiming to substantially enhance the post-quantum security of transactions. Then, the quantum signature using two-particle entangled Bell states was adopted to safeguard the quantum communication of electricity transactions, and authenticate the nodes. Example analysis shows that our model can realize the timely consumption of scattered electricity and thermal energy, improve the security of transaction data and users, and achieve Pareto optimality. The research provides theoretical support and decision-making basis for electricity transactions in the post-quantum age.

Secure MQTT PUF-Based Key Exchange Protocol for Smart Healthcare

Replay and eavesdropping attacks threaten the information security that is held by smart healthcare devices. An authenticated key exchange method to provide cryptography sessions is the best way to provide information security and secure authentication. However, smart healthcare devices do not have sufficient computation to perform heavy cryptography processes due to the limitations of the embedded devices used. We propose an authenticated key exchange protocol based on a physical unclonable function (PUF). The proposed protocol aimed to countermeasure from replay and eavesdropping attacks. We designed our protocol with one handshake process and three authentication processes. We evaluated our proposed protocol using Tamarin Prover. From the results of the evaluation, our proposed protocol can exchange properties correctly between communication actors and is valid in proving each lemma in eavesdropping and replay attacks.