Universidade do Minho. Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias da Computação (CCTC)
Abstract
This report contains an overview of two related areas of research in cryptography
which have been prolific in significant advances in recent years. The first of
these areas is pairing based cryptography. Bilinear pairings over elliptic curves
were initially used as formal mathematical tools and later as cryptanalysis tools
that rendered supersingular curves insecure. In recent years, bilinear pairings
have been used to construct many cryptographic schemes. The second area
covered by this report is identity based cryptography. Digital certificates are
a fundamental part of public key cryptography, as one needs a secure way of
associating an agent’s identity with a random (meaningless) public key. In
identity based cryptography, public keys can be arbitrary bit strings, including
readable representations of one’s identity.Fundação para a Ci~Encia e Tecnologia - SFRH/BPD/20528/2004
