Blockchain Papers

Foteini Baldimtsi, Konstantinos Chalkias, Panagiotis Chatzigiannis, Mahimna Kelkar

No abstract is available for this record.

Agathe Beaugrand, Guilhem Castagnos, Fabien Laguillaumie

No abstract is available for this record.

Shi Wang

With the rapid development of the digital economy and the Internet of Things, identity authentication in resource-constrained environments faces challenges such as low efficiency and inadequate privacy protection. Addressing the high computational and communication overhead of traditional RSA and ECC authentication mechanisms, this study proposes an efficient identity authentication mechanism (AC-ZKP) based on algebraic curves and non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs (NIZK). This mechanism leverages algebraic curve group operations to achieve lightweight key management and employs zero-knowledge proofs to ensure information concealment and anti-forgery during identity verification. The paper conducts a systematic study across four dimensions: system modeling, algorithm design, security analysis, and performance evaluation. Experimental results demonstrate that while maintaining 128-bit security strength, the AC-ZKP mechanism reduces authentication latency by approximately 44% and communication overhead by about 40%. It also exhibits strong scalability and resistance to attacks, significantly outperforming traditional ECC schemes. These findings provide a viable solution for lightweight, high-security identity authentication in IoT, edge computing, and cross-border data exchange environments.

Florian Heß, G. Seroussi, Nigel P. Smart

No abstract is available for this record.

هالة بهجت عبدالوهاب, زينب حسن كطوف

No abstract is available for this record.

Arnav Gujarathi, Pratham Oza, Asish Bera

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) represent a unique form of digital asset stored on a blockchain, encompassing a wide array of assets from digital art to real-world commodities. While NFTs offer robust security through decentralization and smart contract enforcement, they are not impervious to cyber threats. Traditionally, NFTs are transferred over blockchain platforms via smart contracts. The primary objective of this study is to introduce a cryptographic framework that integrates an advanced encryption algorithm layer to fortify NFT image transfers, reinforcing content protection in an evolving digital ecosystem. Various pixel-based encryption algorithms have been implemented using image processing techniques and compared considering their levels of encryption and execution times. Based on the comparison, an advanced encryption algorithm has been devised with an added level of encryption and fast execution time. The proposed encryption algorithm leverages alpha composition with a randomly generated image obtained using a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN). The GAN-generated image is infused with Gaussian noise to deter decryption by unauthorized algorithms, thereby enhancing resilience against cryptanalysis. The encrypted image metadata would be transferred through both on-chain (i.e., blockchain) and off-chain methods to facilitate efficiency and security during NFT transfers. The image decryption protocol mandates the new owner/receiver of NFT to possess the correct private identification, transaction key, and off-chain data, ensuring exclusive access while automatically revoking ownership from the previous holder upon successful transfer. This approach not only secures the transfer process but also minimizes the risk of data leaks, as intermediaries should not have access to the complete metadata. This cryptographic approach not only safeguards digital assets but also aligns with the futuristic vision of secure transactions in the metaverse and Web 3.0. The experimental analysis based on the security level and encryption time based on multiple encryption algorithms justifies the benefits of the proposed method.

Aleksandra Szczegielniak-Rekiel, Krzysztof Kanciak, Jan M. Kelner

This study explored the diverse applications of zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) in next-generation network technologies, particularly in fifth-generation (5G) and emerging sixth-generation (6G) systems. ZKPs are cryptographic methods that enable one party to prove the validity of a statement without revealing the statement itself, thereby offering significant advantages in privacy-preserving authentication and authorization. Given these properties, ZKPs have garnered increasing research attention in contexts such as the Internet of Things (IoT), vehicular communications, and telecommunication protocols. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to provide a comprehensive, taxonomy-driven analysis of ZKP applications specifically designed for 5G and beyond. We categorize existing solutions according to the type of application, the underlying cryptographic technology, maturity level, and relevance to 6G. Furthermore, this paper examines how ZKPs can help mitigate various cybersecurity threats, such as distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, man-in-the-middle attacks, and location tracking. We also assess recent advancements in ZKP acceleration techniques and highlight the key implementation challenges. Finally, this study outlines promising directions for future research in this rapidly evolving field.

Wulf A. Kaal

No abstract is available for this record.

Harika Narumanchi, Lakshmi Padmaja Maddali, N. Narendra Kumar

No abstract is available for this record.

Shanshan Wang, Chuan Xu, Guofeng Zhao, Zhenzhen Han · 6 authors

No abstract is available for this record.

Hong-Sen Yang, Qun-Xiong Zheng, Jing Yang, Quan-Feng Liu · 5 authors

No abstract is available for this record.

Diego F. Aranha, Anamaria Costache, Antonio Guimarães, Eduardo Soria-Vázquez

No abstract is available for this record.

Dan Boneh

What will computer security look like in the year 2100? This talk will begin with a few predictions that aim to suggest a few research directions in the present. We will then transition to the exciting area of applied zero knowledge proofs, an area that has seen tremendous growth in recent years. We will describe some of the new ideas in the space and focus on a number of remarkable real-word applications of these techniques. The talk will be self contained and accessible to all.

Alessandro Chiesa, Marcel Dall’Agnol, Ziyi Guan, Nicholas Spooner · 5 authors

No abstract is available for this record.

Elvira Albert, Jesús Correas, Pablo Gordillo, Guillermo Román‐Díez · 5 authors

No abstract is available for this record.

Farrukh Habib, Ahmed Jawa

Proof of Stake (PoS) is a consensus methodology for blockchain platforms, proposed as an alternative to Proof of Work (PoW) mechanisms. Its primary objective is to validate transactions and ascertain the truthfulness of on-chain data. Users who stake their funds receive incentives in the form of newly minted cryptoassets or transaction fees, making staking a prevalent investment activity in the cryptocurrency domain. However, for users adhering to the Islamic faith, staking introduces a distinctive challenge, particularly concerning its alignment with halal principles. This area represents a significant research gap, with shariah scholars actively engaging in the assessment of this phenomenon from a fiqh perspective. A thorough understanding of the relevant fiqh principles and rulings, in conjunction with the technical and operational facets of staking, is imperative. This chapter delineates two forms of staking: (1) staking on a Proof of Stake (PoS) blockchain, and (2) staking as the act of locking funds in a smart contract for a designated purpose. Subsequently, it explores the shariah compliance of both types.

Ingrid Verbauwhede

Hardware security is the root of trust in all modern ICT (Information and Communications Technology) systems. However, hardware security means something different for different communities. It has also a very wide scope. It covers efficient, secure implementations of new generations of cryptography such as light-weight crypto, post-quantum crypto as well as advanced schemes such as zero-knowledge proofs, fully homomorphic encryption, and computing on encrypted data in general [1][2]. Yet, implementations also must resist a wide variety of side-channel, fault, and micro-architectural attacks. Post-quantum algorithms might resist the attacks developed for quantum computers. Yet, they also have to be resistant to these attacks on classic platforms, see e.g. [3]. Security protocols rely on more than only cryptographic algorithms. They require analog and digital circuit techniques to design quality true random number generators, physically unclonable functions, secure key storage, and many more [4]. A recent report on "Revitalizing the U.S. Semiconductor Ecosystem" (from Executive Office of the President, President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, September 2022) [5] describes a set of recommendations on semiconductors and system security. In this presentation, we will demonstrate how our research addresses these recommendations and we will illustrate this with recent results and ongoing projects.

Zhixin Ren, Yimin Yu, Enhua Yan, Taowei Chen

To enhance the security of ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption (CP-ABE) and achieve fully distributed key generation (DKG), this paper proposes a ciphertext access control scheme integrating blockchain and off-chain computation with zero knowledge proof based on Layer-2 and multi-authority CP-ABE. Firstly, we enhance the system into two layers and construct a Layer-2 distributed key management service framework. This framework improves system efficiency and scalability while reducing costs. Secondly, we design the proof of trust contribution (PoTC) consensus algorithm to elect high-trust nodes responsible for DKG and implement an incentive mechanism for key computation through smart contract design. Finally, we design a non-interactive zero-knowledge proof protocol to achieve correctness verification of off-chain key computation. Security analysis and simulation experiments demonstrate that our scheme achieves high security while significantly improving system performance. The time consumption for data users to obtain attribute private keys is controlled at tens of milliseconds.

Mohammed El Baraka, Siham Ezzouak

This paper introduces a novel Distributed Key Generation (DKG) protocol based on the Commutative Supersingular Isogeny Diffie-Hellman (CSIDH) framework for secure multi-party cryptography. Our proposed protocol is designed to address scalability and security concerns, particularly in post-quantum cryptographic systems. The main contributions include the introduction of Piecewise Verifiable Proofs (PVPs) for non-interactive zero-knowledge verification of secret shares, and the provision of rigorous security analysis, including resistance to quantum adversaries via Shor’s and Grover’s algorithms. We analyze the protocol’s efficiency, ensuring low computational overhead even in large-scale systems, and compare it with other distributed cryptographic protocols such as RSA-based and lattice-based schemes. Through mathematical proofs and complexity analysis, we demonstrate that our protocol offers enhanced security, efficiency, and scalability in a post-quantum environment. The results presented in this paper provide a strong foundation for implementing secure multi-party computations in quantum-resistant systems.

Anees Ahmed, Nojan Sheybani, Davi Moreno, Nges Brian Njungle · 7 authors

Collision-resistant, cryptographic hash (CRH) functions have long been an integral part of providing security and privacy in modern systems. Certain constructions of zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) protocols aim to utilize CRH functions to perform cryptographic hashing. Standard CRH functions, such as SHA2, are inefficient when employed in the ZKP domain, thus calling for ZK-friendly hashes, which are CRH functions built with ZKP efficiency in mind. The most mature ZK-friendly hash, MiMC, presents a block cipher and hash function with a simple algebraic structure that is well-suited, due to its achieved security and low complexity, for ZKP applications. Although ZK-friendly hashes have improved the performance of ZKP generation in software, the underlying computation of ZKPs, including CRH functions, must be optimized on hardware to enable practical applications. The challenge we address in this work is determining how to efficiently incorporate ZK-friendly hash functions, such as MiMC, into hardware accelerators, thus enabling more practical applications. In this work, we introduce AMAZE, a highly hardware-optimized open-source framework for computing the MiMC block cipher and hash function. Our solution has been primarily directed at resource-constrained edge devices; consequently, we provide several implementations of MiMC with varying power, resource, and latency profiles. Our extensive evaluations show that the AMAZE-powered implementation of MiMC outperforms standard CPU implementations by more than 13$\times$. In all settings, AMAZE enables efficient ZK-friendly hashing on resource-constrained devices. Finally, we highlight AMAZE's underlying open-source arithmetic backend as part of our end-to-end design, thus allowing developers to utilize the AMAZE framework for custom ZKP applications.

Xi Lin, Han Xia, Yongqiang Li, Mingsheng Wang

No abstract is available for this record.

Xavier Bultel, Charlène Jojon, Pascal Lafourcade

No abstract is available for this record.

You-Hyun Kim, Ongee Jeong, Kevin Choi, Inkyu Moon · 5 authors

Zero-knowledge proof systems based on Feige-Fiat–Shamir (FFS) protocol are an interactive protocol between two anonymous authentication parties. However, they require heavy computations because of many iterations for reducing the probability that an attacker can trick a remote server. The algorithm’s time complexity rapidly increases with the total number of the challenge values, which should be unpredictable. Hence, the FFS protocol is not suitable for practical zero-knowledge proof systems. In this study, we propose new zero-knowledge proof systems based on phase mask generation that are complex sinusoidal waveform versions of the FFS algorithm for efficient anonymous authentication in the diverse interactive systems. The proposed anonymous authentication schemes need a single iteration only, allowing for efficient uses of a random challenge mask with large bit-depth. The proposed schemes allow the verifier to verify that the prover knows the secret mask, such as binary pattern, visual image, or hologram, which are the prover’s secrets, without revealing any information about it to anyone else, including the verifier. Various numerical simulations demonstrate the proposed schemes’ feasibility and robustness.

Fenhua Bai, Zikang Wang, Kai Zeng, Chi Zhang · 7 authors

No abstract is available for this record.