Smart Ticket Protection: An Architecture for Cyber-Protecting Physical Tickets Using Digitally Signed Random Pattern Markers

In order to counter forgeries of tickets for public transport or mass events, a method to validate them, using printed unique random pattern markers was developed. These markers themselves are unforgeable by their physically random distribution. To assure their authenticity, however, they have to be cryptographically protected and equipped with an environment for successful validation, combining physical and cyber security protection. This paper describes an architecture for cryptographically protecting these markers, which are stored in Aztec codes on physical tickets, in order to assure that only an authorized printer can generate a valid Aztec code of such a pattern, thus providing forge protection in combination with the randomness and uniqueness of the pattern. Nevertheless, the choice of the signature algorithm is heavily constrained by the sizes of the pattern, ticket provider data, metadata and the signature confronted by the data volume the code hold. Therefore, this paper also defines an example for a signature layout for the proposed architecture. This allows for a lightweight ticket validation system that is both physically and cryptographically secured to form a smart solution for mass access verification for both shorter to longer periods at relatively low cost.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

An efficient and secure RSA--like cryptosystem exploiting R\'edei rational functions over conics

We define an isomorphism between the group of points of a conic and the set of integers modulo a prime equipped with a non-standard product. This product can be efficiently evaluated through the use of R\'edei rational functions. We then exploit the isomorphism to construct a novel RSA-like scheme. We compare our scheme with classic RSA and with RSA-like schemes based on the cubic or conic equation. The decryption operation of the proposed scheme turns to be two times faster than RSA, and involves the lowest number of modular inversions with respect to other RSA-like schemes based on curves. Our solution offers the same security as RSA in a one-to-one communication and more security in broadcast applications.Comment: 18 pages, 1 figur

From Quantum Cheating to Quantum Security

For thousands of years, code-makers and code-breakers have been competing for supremacy. Their arsenals may soon include a powerful new weapon: quantum mechanics. We give an overview of quantum cryptology as of November 2000.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures. Originally appeared in Physics Today: . This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of both the author and the American Institute of Physic