ITR:SI Implementing Public-Key Cryptosystems for Secure Information Infrastructure

本文描述的研究解决了嵌入式处理器和受限环境的信息安全问题。嵌入式处理器存在于大量现有和新兴技术中，包括移动电话、个人数字助理、智能卡和远程控制公用事业网络设备，它与典型的（但远不那么普遍的）pc级微处理器的区别在于其相对较低的功耗和对内存和速度的固有限制。据预测，在未来几年内，与我们的电话和计算机网络相连的嵌入式微处理器应用程序的数量将急剧增加。例如，预计在未来几年内，50%的互联网终端设备将不得不在受限环境中运行。同时，这些网络使远程访问和操纵各种敏感资源成为可能，包括银行记录、医疗信息、报警系统和工业机械。显然，需要在这些设备的加密安全领域进行长期规划和有针对性的研究。这里所代表的挑战需要来自不同学科的专家的关注，从工程到计算机科学再到数学。硬件设计师、软件工程师和理论密码学家都面临着基本的和紧迫的问题。我们建议采取三管齐下的办法，努力为解决这些问题作出贡献。这种研究的长期目标是为市场带来低成本，高度可扩展且适合受限环境的加密安全解决方案。该项目特别关注嵌入式设备中公钥算法的实现，分为以下三个模块：为普及计算开发节能且可扩展的加密硬件。对在受限环境中有望实现的新兴公钥方案进行调查。硬件和嵌入式处理器中公钥方案组合结构的评估。这种三管齐下的方法结合了长期的观点，跨越学科，以及各种非常有前途的短期目标，以确保实际的相关性和回报。

The research described here addresses information security issues for embedded processors and constrained environments. Embedded processors are found in a vast array of existing and emerging technologies, including mobile phones, personal digital assistants, smart cards, and remote-controlled utility network devices and are distinguished from typical (but far less prevalent) PC-level microprocessors in their relatively low power consumption and inherent limitations on memory and speed.It is predicted that the number of applications with embedded microprocessors which will be connected to our telephone and computer networks will increase dramatically over the next few years. For instance, it is anticipated that within the next few years, 50% of all Internet end-devices will have to operate in constrained environments. At the same time, these networks are enabling remote access to, and manipulation of, sensitive resources of all sorts, including bank records, medical information, alarm system, and industrial machinery.The need is clear for long-term planning and directed research in the area of cryptographic security for these devices. The challenges represented here require the attention of experts from a variety of disciplines, from engineering to computer science to mathematics. Both fundamental and immediate problems face hardware designers, software engineers, and theoretical crypytographers alike.We propose a three-pronged approach in an effort to contribute solutions to these problems. The long-term ambition of such research is to bring cryptographic security solutions to the market which are low-cost, highly scalable, and suitable for constrained environments. This project places particular focus on implementation of public-key algorithms in embedded devices and is divided into three modules as follow:Development of power-efficient and scalable cryptographic hardware for pervasive computing.Investigation of emerging public-key schemes which appear promising for implementation in constrained environments.Evaluation of combinatorial structures for public-key schemes in hardware and on embedded processors.This three-pronged approach combines a long view, cutting across disciplines, as well as a variety of very promising short-term objectives which assure practical relevance and payoff.