Some Security Topics with Possible Applications for Pairing-Based Cryptography

Abstract

Over the last decade, pairing-based cryptography has found a wide range of interesting applications, both in cryptography and in computer/network security. It often yields the most elegant (if not always the most efficient) techniques. This talk overviews several topics to which pairing-based methods either have not been applied, or where they have not reached their potential. The first topic is “privacy-preserving set operations”, such as private set intersection (PSI) protocols. Despite lots of prior work, state-of-the-art (in terms of efficiency) PSI is grounded in more mundane non-pairing-based number theoretic settings. This is puzzling, since the same does not hold with closely related secret handshakes and affiliation-hiding key exchange (AH-AKE) techniques. The second topic is more applied: “security in unattended wireless sensor networks” (UWSNs). We discuss certain unique security issues occurring in UWSNs, overview some protection measures, and consider whether pairing-based cryptography has some applications in this context. The third topic is “privacy in mobile ad hoc networks” (MANETs). The central goal is to achieve privacy-preserving (i.e., tracking-resistant) mobility in the presence of malicious insiders, while maintaining security. Since security is based on authentication, which is, in turn, usually based on identities, routing and packet forwarding are very challenging. Pairing-based cryptography might offer some useful techniques for reconciling security and privacy in this context. Finally, we consider the topic of “secure code attestation for embedded devices” where the main challenge is: how an untrusted (and possibly compromised) device can convince a trusted verifier that it runs appropriate code. After discussing current approaches, once again, consider whether pairing techniques can be of use.