Asymptotically Optimal Communication for Torus-Based Cryptography

Abstract

We introduce a compact and efficient representation of elements of the algebraic torus. This allows us to design a new discretelog based public-key system achieving the optimal communication rate, partially answering the conjecture in [4]. For n the product of distinct primes, we construct efficient ElGamal signature and encryption schemes in a subgroup of F*qn in which the number of bits exchanged is only a φ(n)/n fraction of that required in traditional schemes, while the security offered remains the same. We also present a Diffie-Hellman key exchange protocol averaging only φ(n) log2 q bits of communication per key. For the cryptographically important cases of n = 30 and n = 210, we transmit a 4/5 and a 24/35 fraction, respectively, of the number of bits required in XTR [14] and recent CEILIDH [24] cryptosystems. © International Association for Cryptologic Research 2004.