Optimizing robustness while generating shared secret safe primes

Abstract

We develop a method for generating shared, secret, safe primes applicable to use in threshold RSA signature schemes such as the one developed by Shoup. We would like a scheme usable in practical settings, so our protocol is robust and efficient in asynchronous, hostile environments. We show that the techniques used for robustness need special care when they must be efficient. Specifically, we show optimizations that minimize the number and size of the proofs of knowledge used. We also develop optimizations based on computer arithmetic algorithms, in particular, precomputation and Montgomery modular multiplication. © International Association for Cryptologic Research 2005.