Chapter 1

Public-Key Cryptography
 Symmetric Encryption Problems

• Key exchange
• Two parties already share a key: must have been distributed to them
• Key distribution center: could be compromised

• Digital signatures
• Verification that digital message sent by particular person

2
 Public-Key Encryption

• Two keys: private, public

• One key for encryption, other for decryption

• Computationally infeasible to determine decryption

key using ciphertext and encryption key.

3
• Plaintext
• Readable message

• Encryption algorithm
• Performs transformations on plaintext

• Ciphertext
• Scrambled message produced by encryption algorithm

4
• Public and private keys
• Pair of keys are selected or generated
• One for encryption and other for decryption
• Transformations depend on the key used

• Decryption algorithm
• Accepts the ciphertext and the key
• Produces the original plaintext

5
 Operation

• Each user generates pair of keys

• Place one of keys in public register or accessible file (public key)

• Keep other companion key (private key)

• If User (A) wants to send confidential message to User (B): encrypt

with public key of (B)

• Only user (B) can decrypt message with her private key

6
 Advantages

• Private keys generated locally

• Private key need not to be distributed

• Keys can be changed at any time

7
8
 Applications: Confidentiality

Y = E(PUb, X)

X = D(PRb, Y)
9
10
Applications: Authentication

Y = E(PRa, X)

X = D(PUa, Y)
11
Applications: Confidentiality + Authentication

Z = E(PUb, E(PRa, X))

X = D(PUa, E(PRb, Z))
12