Zero-knowledge authentication scheme with secret key exchange

Abstract

In this paper we formally define proof systems for functions and develop an example of such a proof with a constant number of rounds, which we modify (at no extra communication cost) into an identification scheme with secret key exchange for subsequent conventional encryption. Implemented on a standard 32-bit chip or similar, the whole protocol, which involves mutual identification of two users, exchange of a random common secret key, and verification of certificates for the public keys (RSA, 512 bits) takes less than 3/4 second. © 1998 International Association for Cryplologic Research.