METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING EFFICIENT PASSWORD-AUTHENTICATED KEY EXCHANGE

• Main Author: MACKENZIE, PHILIP D
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 10.07.2007
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHICCOMMUNICATION

A secure protocol is provided which uses a Diffie-Hellman type shared secret , but modified such that the two parties may authenticate each other using a share d password. In accordance with the invention, a party generates the DiiTie-Hellman value gx and combines it with a function of at least the password using a group operation , wherein any portion of a result associated with the function that is outside the group i s randomized. The resulting value is transmitted to the other party: The group operation is defined for the particular group being used. Every group has a group operation and a corresponding inverse group operation. Upon receipt of the value, the other party performs the inverse group operation on the received value and the function of at least the password, and removes the randomization of any portion of the result associated with the function that is outside the group, to extract e such that the other party may then generate the shared secret g''' using its knowledge ofy.