On the non-tightness of measurement-based reductions for key encapsulation mechanism in the quantum random oracle model

Key encapsulation mechanism (KEM) variants of the Fujisaki-Okamoto (FO) transformation (TCC 2017) that turn a weakly-secure public-key encryption (PKE) into an IND-CCA-secure KEM, were widely used among the KEM submissions to the NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography Standardization Project. Under the standard CPA security assumptions, i.e., OW-CPA and IND-CPA, the security of these variants in the quantum random oracle model (QROM) has been proved by black-box reductions, e.g., Jiang et al. (CRYPTO 2018), and by non-black-box reductions (EUROCRYPT 2020). The non-black-box reductions (EUROCRYPT 2020) have a liner security loss, but can only apply to specific reversible adversaries with strict reversible implementation. On the contrary, the existing black-box reductions in the literature can apply to an arbitrary adversary with an arbitrary implementation, but suffer a quadratic security loss. In this paper, for KEM variants of the FO transformation, we first show the tightness limits of the black-box reductions, and prove that a measurement-based reduction in the QROM from breaking the standard OW-CPA (or IND-CPA) security of the underlying PKE to breaking the IND-CCA security of the resulting KEM, will inevitably incur a quadratic loss of the security, where ``measurement-based means the reduction measures a hash query from the adversary and uses the measurement outcome to break the underlying security of PKE. In particular, most black-box reductions for these FO-like KEM variants are of this type, and our results suggest an explanation for the lack of progress in improving this reduction tightness in terms of the degree of security loss. Then, we further show that the quadratic loss is also unavoidable when one turns a search problem into a decision problem using the one-way to hiding technique in a black-box manner, which has been recognized as an essential technique to prove the security of cryptosystems involving quantum random oracles

Tighter security proofs for generic key encapsulation mechanism in the quantum random oracle model

In (TCC 2017), Hofheinz, Hoevelmanns and Kiltz provided a fine-grained and modular toolkit of generic key encapsulation mechanism (KEM) constructions, which were widely used among KEM submissions to NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography Standardization project. The security of these generic constructions in the quantum random oracle model (QROM) has been analyzed by Hofheinz, Hoevelmanns and Kiltz (TCC 2017), Saito, Xagawa and Yamakawa (Eurocrypt 2018), and Jiang et al. (Crypto 2018). However, the security proofs from standard assumptions are far from tight. In particular, the factor of security loss is $q$ and the degree of security loss is 2, where $q$ is the total number of adversarial queries to various oracles. In this paper, using semi-classical oracle technique recently introduced by Ambainis, Hamburg and Unruh (ePrint 2018/904), we improve the results in (Eurocrypt 2018, Crypto 2018) and provide tighter security proofs for generic KEM constructions from standard assumptions. More precisely, the factor of security loss $q$ is reduced to be $\sqrt{q}$. In addition, for transformation T that turns a probabilistic public-key encryption (PKE) into a determined one by derandomization and re-encryption, the degree of security loss 2 is reduced to be 1. Our tighter security proofs can give more confidence to NIST KEM submissions where these generic transformations are used, e.g., CRYSTALS-Kyber etc

IND-CCA-secure Key Encapsulation Mechanism in the Quantum Random Oracle Model, Revisited

With the gradual progress of NIST\u27s post-quantum cryptography standardization, the Round-1 KEM proposals have been posted for public to discuss and evaluate. Among the IND-CCA-secure KEM constructions, mostly, an IND-CPA-secure (or OW-CPA-secure) public-key encryption (PKE) scheme is first introduced, then some generic transformations are applied to it. All these generic transformations are constructed in the random oracle model (ROM). To fully assess the post-quantum security, security analysis in the quantum random oracle model (QROM) is preferred. However, current works either lacked a QROM security proof or just followed Targhi and Unruh\u27s proof technique (TCC-B 2016) and modified the original transformations by adding an additional hash to the ciphertext to achieve the QROM security. In this paper, by using a novel proof technique, we present QROM security reductions for two widely used generic transformations without suffering any ciphertext overhead. Meanwhile, the security bounds are much tighter than the ones derived by utilizing Targhi and Unruh\u27s proof technique. Thus, our QROM security proofs not only provide a solid post-quantum security guarantee for NIST Round-1 KEM schemes, but also simplify the constructions and reduce the ciphertext sizes. We also provide QROM security reductions for Hofheinz-Hoevelmanns-Kiltz modular transformations (TCC 2017), which can help to obtain a variety of combined transformations with different requirements and properties

Key Encapsulation Mechanism with Explicit Rejection in the Quantum Random Oracle Model

The recent post-quantum cryptography standardization project launched by NIST increased the interest in generic key encapsulation mechanism (KEM) constructions in the quantum random oracle (QROM). Based on a OW-CPA-secure public-key encryption (PKE), Hofheinz, Hövelmanns and Kiltz (TCC 2017) first presented two generic constructions of an IND-CCA-secure KEM with quartic security loss in the QROM, one with implicit rejection (a pseudorandom key is return for an invalid ciphertext) and the other with explicit rejection (an abort symbol is returned for an invalid ciphertext). Both are widely used in the NIST Round-1 KEM submissions and the ones with explicit rejection account for 40%. Recently, the security reductions have been improved to quadratic loss under a standard assumption, and be tight under a nonstandard assumption by Jiang et al. (Crypto 2018) and Saito, Xagawa and Yamakawa (Eurocrypt 2018). However, these improvements only apply to the KEM submissions with implicit rejection and the techniques do not seem to carry over to KEMs with explicit rejection. In this paper, we provide three generic constructions of an IND-CCA-secure KEM with explicit rejection, under the same assumptions and with the same tightness in the security reductions as the aforementioned KEM constructions with implicit rejection (Crypto 2018, Eurocrypt 2018). Specifically, we develop a novel approach to verify the validity of a ciphertext in the QROM and use it to extend the proof techniques for KEM constructions with implicit rejection (Crypto 2018, Eurocrypt 2018) to our KEM constructions with explicit rejection. Moreover, using an improved version of one-way to hiding lemma by Ambainis, Hamburg and Unruh (ePrint 2018/904), for two of our constructions, we present tighter reductions to the standard IND-CPA assumption. Our results directly apply to 9 KEM submissions with explicit rejection, and provide tighter reductions than previously known (TCC 2017)

A Modular Analysis of the Fujisaki-Okamoto Transformation

The Fujisaki-Okamoto (FO) transformation (CRYPTO 1999 and Journal of Cryptology 2013) turns any weakly secure public-key encryption scheme into a strongly (i.e., IND-CCA) secure one in the random oracle model. Unfortunately, the FO analysis suffers from several drawbacks, such as a non-tight security reduction, and the need for a perfectly correct scheme. While several alternatives to the FO transformation have been proposed, they have stronger requirements, or do not obtain all desired properties. In this work, we provide a fine-grained and modular toolkit of transformations for turning weakly secure into strongly secure public-key encryption schemes. All of our transformations are robust against schemes with correctness errors, and their combination leads to several tradeoffs among tightness of the reduction, efficiency, and the required security level of the used encryption scheme. For instance, one variant of the FO transformation constructs an IND-CCA secure scheme from an IND-CPA secure one with a tight reduction and very small efficiency overhead. Another variant assumes only an OW-CPA secure scheme, but leads to an IND-CCA secure scheme with larger ciphertexts. We note that we also analyze our transformations in the quantum random oracle model, which yields security guarantees in a post-quantum setting

Tighter Post-quantum Secure Encryption Schemes Using Semi-classical Oracles

Krüpteerimisprotokollide analüüsimiseks kasutatakse tihti juhusliku oraakli mudelit (JOM), aga postkvant turvaliste protokollide analüüs tuleb läbi viiakvant juhusliku oraakli mudelis (KJOM). Kuna paljudel tõestamise tehnikatel ei ole kvant juhusliku oraakli mudelis analoogi, on KJOMis raske töötada. Seda probleemi aitab lahendada One-Way to Hiding (O2H) Teoreem, mille Unruh tõestas 2015. aastal.Ambainis, Hamburg ja Unruh esitasid teoreemi täiustatud versiooni 2018. aastal. See kasutab poolklassikalisi oraakleid, millel on suurem paindlikkus ja tihedamad piirid. Täiustatud versioon võimaldab tugevdada kõigi protokollide turvalisust, mis kasutasid vana versiooni. Me võtame ühe artikli, kus kasutati vana O2H Teoreemi versiooni, ja tõestame protokollide turvalisuse uuesti kasutades poolklassikalisi oraakleid.The random oracle model (ROM) has been widely used for analyzing cryptographic schemes. In the real world, a quantum adversary equipped with a quantum computer can execute hash functions on an arbitrary superposition of inputs. Therefore, one needs to analyze the post-quantum security in the quantum random oracle model (QROM). Unfortunately, working in the QROM is quite difficult because many proof techniques in the ROM have no analogue in the QROM. A technique that can help solve this problem is the One-Way to Hiding (O2H) Theorem, which was first proven in 2015 by Unruh. In 2018, Ambainis, Hamburg and Unruh presented an improved version of the O2H Theorem which uses so called semi-classical oracles and has higher flexibilityand tighter bounds. This improvement of the O2H Theorem should allow us to derive better security bounds for most schemes that used the old version. We take one paper that used the old version of the O2H Theorem to prove the security of different schemes in the QROM and give new proofs using semi-classical oracles

Post-Quantum Security of Key Encapsulation Mechanism against CCA Attacks with a Single Decapsulation Query

Recently, in post-quantum cryptography migration, it has been shown that an IND-1-CCA-secure key encapsulation mechanism (KEM) is required for replacing an ephemeral Diffie-Hellman (DH) in widely-used protocols, e.g., TLS, Signal, and Noise. IND-1-CCA security is a notion similar to the traditional IND-CCA security except that the adversary is restricted to one single decapsulation query. At EUROCRYPT 2022, based on CPA-secure public-key encryption (PKE), Huguenin-Dumittan and Vaudenay presented two IND-1-CCA KEM constructions called $T_{CH}$ and $T_H$, which are much more efficient than the widely-used IND-CCA-secure Fujisaki-Okamoto (FO) KEMs. The security of $T_{CH}$ was proved in both random oracle model (ROM) and quantum random oracle model (QROM). However, the QROM proof of $T_{CH}$ relies on an additional ciphertext expansion. While, the security of $T_H$ was only proved in the ROM, and the QROM proof is left open. In this paper, we prove the security of $T_H$ and $T_{RH}$ (an implicit variant of $T_H$) in both ROM and QROM with much tighter reductions than Huguenin-Dumittan and Vaudenay\u27s work. In particular, our QROM proof will not lead to ciphertext expansion. Moreover, for $T_{RH}$, $T_H$ and $T_{CH}$, we also show that a $O(1/q)$ ($O(1/q^2)$, resp.) reduction loss is unavoidable in the ROM (QROM, resp.), and thus claim that our ROM proof is optimal in tightness. Finally, we make a comprehensive comparison among the relative strengths of IND-1-CCA and IND-CCA in the ROM and QROM

Post-Quantum Anonymity of Kyber

Kyber is a key-encapsulation mechanism (KEM) that was recently selected by NIST in its PQC standardization process; it is also the only scheme to be selected in the context of public-key encryption (PKE) and key establishment. The main security target for KEMs, and their associated PKE schemes, in the NIST PQC context has been IND-CCA security. However, some important modern applications also require their underlying KEMs/PKE schemes to provide anonymity (Bellare et al., ASIACRYPT 2001). Examples of such applications include anonymous credential systems, cryptocurrencies, broadcast encryption schemes, authenticated key exchange, and auction protocols. It is hence important to analyze the compatibility of NIST\u27s new PQC standard in such beyond IND-CCA applications. Some starting steps were taken by Grubbs et al. (EUROCRYPT 2022) and Xagawa (EUROCRYPT 2022) wherein they studied the anonymity properties of most NIST PQC third round candidate KEMs. Unfortunately, they were unable to show the anonymity of Kyber because of certain technical barriers. In this paper, we overcome said barriers and resolve the open problems posed by Grubbs et al. (EUROCRYPT 2022) and Xagawa (EUROCRYPT 2022) by establishing the anonymity of Kyber, and the (hybrid) PKE schemes derived from it, in a post-quantum setting. Along the way, we also provide an approach to obtain tight IND-CCA security proofs for Kyber with concrete bounds; this resolves another issue identified by the aforementioned works related to the post-quantum IND-CCA security claims of Kyber from a provable security point-of-view. Our results also extend to Saber, a NIST PQC third round finalist, in a similar fashion

Post-Quantum Cryptography: Computational-Hardness Assumptions and Beyond

The advent of a full-scale quantum computer will severely impact most currently-used cryptographic systems. The most well-known aspect of this impact lies in the computational-hardness assumptions that underpin the security of most current public-key cryptographic systems: a quantum computer can factor integers and compute discrete logarithms in polynomial time, thereby breaking systems based on these problems. However, simply replacing these problems by other which are (believed to be) impervious even to a quantum computer does not completely solve the issue. Indeed, many security proofs of cryptographic systems are no longer valid in the presence of a quantum-capable attacker; while this does not automatically implies that the affected systems would be broken by a quantum computer, it does raises questions on the exact security guarantees that they can provide. This overview document aims to analyze all aspects of the impact of quantum computers on cryptographic, by providing an overview of current quantum-hard computational problems (and cryptographic systems based on them), and by presenting the security proofs that are affected by quantum-attackers, detailing what is the current status of research on the topic and what the expected effects on security are

Concrete Security from Worst-Case to Average-Case Lattice Reductions

A famous reduction by Regev shows that random instances of the Learning With Errors (LWE) problem are asymptotically at least as hard as a worst-case lattice problem. As such, by assuming that standard lattice problems are hard to solve, the asymptotic security of cryptosystems based on the LWE problem is guaranteed. However, it has not been clear to which extent, if any, this reduction provides support for the security of present concrete parametrizations. In this work we therefore use Regev\u27s reduction to parametrize a cryptosystem, providing a reference as to what parameters are required to actually claim security from this reduction. This requires us to account for the concrete performance of this reduction, allowing the first parametrization of a cryptosystem that is provably secure based only on a conservative hardness estimate for a standard lattice problem. Even though we attempt to optimize the reduction, our system still requires significantly larger parameters than typical LWE-based cryptosystems, highlighting the significant gap between parameters that are used in practice and those for which worst-case reductions actually are applicable