Horizontal isogeny graphs of ordinary abelian varieties and the discrete logarithm problem

Fix an ordinary abelian variety defined over a finite field. The ideal class group of its endomorphism ring acts freely on the set of isogenous varieties with same endomorphism ring, by complex multiplication. Any subgroup of the class group, and generating set thereof, induces an isogeny graph on the orbit of the variety for this subgroup. We compute (under the Generalized Riemann Hypothesis) some bounds on the norms of prime ideals generating it, such that the associated graph has good expansion properties. We use these graphs, together with a recent algorithm of Dudeanu, Jetchev and Robert for computing explicit isogenies in genus 2, to prove random self-reducibility of the discrete logarithm problem within the subclasses of principally polarizable ordinary abelian surfaces with fixed endomorphism ring. In addition, we remove the heuristics in the complexity analysis of an algorithm of Galbraith for explicitly computing isogenies between two elliptic curves in the same isogeny class, and extend it to a more general setting including genus 2.Comment: 18 page

Isogeny graphs of ordinary abelian varieties

Fix a prime number $\ell$. Graphs of isogenies of degree a power of $\ell$ are well-understood for elliptic curves, but not for higher-dimensional abelian varieties. We study the case of absolutely simple ordinary abelian varieties over a finite field. We analyse graphs of so-called $\mathfrak l$-isogenies, resolving that they are (almost) volcanoes in any dimension. Specializing to the case of principally polarizable abelian surfaces, we then exploit this structure to describe graphs of a particular class of isogenies known as $(\ell, \ell)$-isogenies: those whose kernels are maximal isotropic subgroups of the $\ell$-torsion for the Weil pairing. We use these two results to write an algorithm giving a path of computable isogenies from an arbitrary absolutely simple ordinary abelian surface towards one with maximal endomorphism ring, which has immediate consequences for the CM-method in genus 2, for computing explicit isogenies, and for the random self-reducibility of the discrete logarithm problem in genus 2 cryptography.Comment: 36 pages, 4 figure

The supersingular Endomorphism Ring and One Endomorphism problems are equivalent

The supersingular Endomorphism Ring problem is the following: given a supersingular elliptic curve, compute all of its endomorphisms. The presumed hardness of this problem is foundational for isogeny-based cryptography. The One Endomorphism problem only asks to find a single non-scalar endomorphism. We prove that these two problems are equivalent, under probabilistic polynomial time reductions. We prove a number of consequences. First, assuming the hardness of the endomorphism ring problem, the Charles--Goren--Lauter hash function is collision resistant, and the SQIsign identification protocol is sound. Second, the endomorphism ring problem is equivalent to the problem of computing arbitrary isogenies between supersingular elliptic curves, a result previously known only for isogenies of smooth degree. Third, there exists an unconditional probabilistic algorithm to solve the endomorphism ring problem in time O~(sqrt(p)), a result that previously required to assume the generalized Riemann hypothesis. To prove our main result, we introduce a flexible framework for the study of isogeny graphs with additional information. We prove a general and easy-to-use rapid mixing theorem

Discrete logarithms in quasi-polynomial time in finite fields of fixed characteristic

We prove that the discrete logarithm problem can be solved in quasi-polynomial expected time in the multiplicative group of finite fields of fixed characteristic. More generally, we prove that it can be solved in the field of cardinality pn in expected time (pn)2log2(n)+O(1)

The supersingular endomorphism ring problem given one endomorphism

Given a supersingular elliptic curve E and a non-scalar endomorphism $\alpha$ of E, we prove that the endomorphism ring of E can be computed in classical time about disc(Z[$\alpha$])^1/4 , and in quantum subexponential time, assuming the generalised Riemann hypothesis. Previous results either had higher complexities, or relied on heuristic assumptions. Along the way, we prove that the Primitivisation problem can be solved in polynomial time (a problem previously believed to be hard), and we prove that the action of smooth ideals on oriented elliptic curves can be computed in polynomial time (previous results of this form required the ideal to be powersmooth, i.e., not divisible by any large prime power). Following the attacks on SIDH, isogenies in high dimension are a central ingredient of our results

Malleability of the blockchain’s entropy

Trustworthy generation of public random numbers is necessary for the security of a number of cryptographic applications. It was suggested to use the inherent unpredictability of blockchains as a source of public randomness. Entropy from the Bitcoin blockchain in particular has been used in lotteries and has been suggested for a number of other applications ranging from smart contracts to election auditing. In this Arcticle, we analyse this idea and show how an adversary could manipulate these random numbers, even with limited computational power and financial budget

Efficient verifiable delay functions

We construct a verifiable delay function (VDF). A VDF is a function whose evaluation requires running a given number of sequential steps, yet the result can be efficiently verified. They have applications in decentralised systems, such as the generation of trustworthy public randomness in a trustless environment, or resource-efficient blockchains. To construct our VDF, we actually build a trapdoor VDF. A trapdoor VDF is essentially a VDF which can be evaluated efficiently by parties who know a secret (the trapdoor). By setting up this scheme in a way that the trapdoor is unknown (not even by the party running the setup, so that there is no need for a trusted setup environment), we obtain a simple VDF. Our construction is based on groups of unknown order such as an RSA group, or the class group of an imaginary quadratic field. The output of our construction is very short (the result and the proof of correctness are each a single element of the group), and the verification of correctness is very efficient