Blockchain-Based Multi-Party Key Generation Using CSI: A Novel Hybrid Method

Abstract

This paper proposes a novel multi-party key generation method that jointly utilizes channel state information (CSI) and blockchain technology to enhance security in distributed systems. The proposed method starts by extracting CSI from wireless channels, leveraging the channels’ inherent randomness and reciprocity to generate secure key fragments shared among legitimate parties. Then, the key generation process involves several stages, including quantization, reconciliation, and privacy amplification, ensuring that the resulting keys are secure and synchronized across participants. Blockchain technology is then leveraged to securely commit these keys, ensuring that the key agreements are recorded in a decentralized, tamper-resistant ledger. The proposed method effectively combines the physical-layer properties of CSI with the decentralized nature of blockchain, providing robust protection against eavesdropping and tampering attacks. Theoretical analyses and simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in terms of key mismatch probability and secrecy capacity. Additionally, the randomness of the generated keys by the proposed method is validated using the National Institute of Standards and Technology randomness tests.