Secure and Efficient RNS Approach for Elliptic Curve Cryptography

Scalar multiplication, the main operation in elliptic curve cryptographic protocols, is vulnerable to side-channel (SCA) and fault injection (FA) attacks. An efficient countermeasure for scalar multiplication can be provided by using alternative number systems like the Residue Number System (RNS). In RNS, a number is represented as a set of smaller numbers, where each one is the result of the modular reduction with a given moduli basis. Under certain requirements, a number can be uniquely transformed from the integers to the RNS domain (and vice versa) and all arithmetic operations can be performed in RNS. This representation provides an inherent SCA and FA resistance to many attacks and can be further enhanced by RNS arithmetic manipulation or more traditional algorithmic countermeasures. In this paper, extending our previous work, we explore the potentials of RNS as an SCA and FA countermeasure and provide an description of RNS based SCA and FA resistance means. We propose a secure and efficient Montgomery Power Ladder based scalar multiplication algorithm on RNS and discuss its SCAFA resistance. The proposed algorithm is implemented on an ARM Cortex A7 processor and its SCA-FA resistance is evaluated by collecting preliminary leakage trace results that validate our initial assumptions

On fast multiplication of a matrix by its transpose

We present a non-commutative algorithm for the multiplication of a 2x2-block-matrix by its transpose using 5 block products (3 recursive calls and 2 general products) over C or any finite field.We use geometric considerations on the space of bilinear forms describing 2x2 matrix products to obtain this algorithm and we show how to reduce the number of involved additions.The resulting algorithm for arbitrary dimensions is a reduction of multiplication of a matrix by its transpose to general matrix product, improving by a constant factor previously known reductions.Finally we propose schedules with low memory footprint that support a fast and memory efficient practical implementation over a finite field.To conclude, we show how to use our result in LDLT factorization.Comment: ISSAC 2020, Jul 2020, Kalamata, Greec