Group based Cryptography

Covering relations between three different areas of mathematics and theoretical computer science, this book explores how non-commutative (infinite) groups, which are typically studied in combinatorial group theory, can be used in public key cryptography. This book is about relations between three different areas of mathematics and theoretical computer science: combinatorial group theory, cryptography, and complexity theory. It is explored how non-commutative (infinite) groups, which are typically studied in combinatorial group theory, can be used in public key cryptography. It is also shown that there is a remarkable feedback from cryptography to combinatorial group theory because some of the problems motivated by cryptography appear to be new to group theory, and they open many interesting research avenues within group theory. Then, complexity theory, notably generic-case complexity of algorithms, is employed for cryptanalysis of various cryptographic protocols based on infinite groups, and the ideas and machinery from the theory of generic-case complexity are used to study asymptotically dominant properties of some infinite groups that have been applied in public key cryptography so far. Its elementary exposition makes the book accessible to graduate as well as undergraduate students in mathematics or computer science. This book is about relations between three di?erent areas of mathematics and theoreticalcomputer science: combinatorialgroup theory, cryptography,and c- plexity theory. We explorehownon-commutative(in?nite) groups,which arety- callystudiedincombinatorialgrouptheory,canbeusedinpublickeycryptography. We also show that there is a remarkable feedback from cryptography to com- natorial group theory because some of the problems motivated by cryptography appear to be new to group theory, and they open many interesting research - enues within group theory. Then, we employ complexity theory, notably generic case complexity of algorithms,for cryptanalysisof various cryptographicprotocols based on in?nite groups. We also use the ideas and machinery from the theory of generic case complexity to study asymptotically dominant properties of some in?nite groups that have been used in public key cryptography so far. It turns out that for a relevant cryptographic scheme to be secure, it is essential that keys are selected from a "very small" (relative to the whole group, say) subset rather than from the whole group. Detecting these subsets ("black holes") for a part- ular cryptographic scheme is usually a very challenging problem, but it holds the keyto creatingsecurecryptographicprimitives basedonin?nite non-commutative groups. The book isbased onlecture notesfor the Advanced Courseon Group-Based CryptographyheldattheCRM,BarcelonainMay2007. Itisagreatpleasureforus to thank Manuel Castellet, the HonoraryDirector of the CRM, for supporting the idea of this Advanced Course. We are also grateful to the current CRM Director, JoaquimBruna,and to the friendly CRM sta?,especially Mrs. N. PortetandMrs. N. Hern' andez, for their help in running the Advanced Course and in preparing the lecture notes.