Public Key Cryptosystems

LaRon Walker

Master of Information Technology and Internet Security

May, 2010

Public Key Cryptosystems can contain a combination of many different components.

However one basic element necessary in creating any public key cryptosystem is a means to

publicly distribute keys. This alone is essential in creating a public-key infrastructures (PKI),

which the way to securely send messages over unsecure networks that use keys as means of

authentication (Keston, 2009).-There many techniques to distribute keys, but most include using

public announcement of public keys, public key directories, public authorities, or public-key

certificates.

The least secure of the above stated methods are is the public announcement of public

keys. In this method, the keys are publicly announced (Stallings, 2011). Due to this, keys can be

easily duplicated and issued falsely to other users masquerading as the sender of valid public

keys. A more secure method would be that of the use of public key directories. In this scenario,

keys are dynamically distributed to its users, making it more difficult for the public

announcement method of public key’s vulnerability to occur. Although this strategy may seem

secure, it still possesses a major exploit. If the private key of a public-key directory is

compromised, the same vulnerability becomes available as that in the public announcement

scenario, along with giving the ability to masquerade as any participant utilizing that public key

directory. Using public authorities helps address this issue.

 Using a public key authority to distribute public keys more control over how public keys

are issued from the key directory (Stalling, 2011). This method is very secure but can affect the

performance of message delivery, as every recipient has to contact the public authority whenever

it needs a public key. This can create latency in message delivery depending on the load that is

being handled by public-key authority. This also gives intruders to an opportunity to intercept

public keys whenever requested by recipients. Once a key is compromised, the same

vulnerabilities apply as with the other two discussed methods. Intruder can send out false public

keys and masquerade as valid message senders.

The more secure of the above stated techniques is by use of public-key certificates.

Using this strategy, public key information is transmitted between sender and receiver though

digitally signed certificates from a certificate authority (CA). The certificate contains the name,

public-key, and digital signature from the CA and can be transmitted between the CA and

recipient, or directly from the sender to recipient (Keston, 2009). The integrity of the message or

sender can be verified via the certificate (Stalling, 2011).

References

Keston, G. (2009). Public Key Standards. Faulkner Information Services. Retrieved May 16,

2010 from Faulkner Information Services database.

Stallings, W. (2011). Cryptography and Network Security Principles and Practice (5th ed.).

Upper Saddle River, NY: Prentice Hall.