Non-Interactive Anonymous Credential Based on Structure-Preserving Signature

ABSTRACT

Structure-preserving signature, as a special kind of digital signature, provides a way to construct modular cryptographic protocols with reasonable efficiency while retaining conceptual simplicity. This feature makes it suitable to be applied in the construction of non-interactive anonymous credential systems, which allows the user to convince a verifier of the possession of a certificate issued by the trusted authority anonymously and efficiently without interaction. In this paper, we design a secure and efficient structure-preserving signature scheme (SPSIG), and combine the scheme with Groth–Sahai non-interactive zero-knowledge (GSNIZK) proof system to construct a non-interactive anonymous credential scheme. The SPSIG is based on q-ADH-SDH assumption and can resist existential forgery in the chosen message attack. The message, signature, and verification keys are group elements, which are fully compatible with the GSNIZK system. The SXDH assumption is employed to instantiate the certificate-proving process, which is considered to be the most efficient instantiation at the moment. We analyze the efficiency and formally prove the security in the standard model. The result shows that our scheme satisfies correctness, zero knowledge, and unforgeability, and achieves identity authentication in the way of anonymity. Besides, our scheme has stronger anonymity, traceability, and non-interaction, and has lower communication cost compared with the conventional schemes.

Keywords:

• Anonymous credential
• Commitment scheme
• GS proof system
• NIZK proof
• Privacy preserving
• Structure-preserving signature

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank the reviewers for their detailed reviews and constructive comments, which have helped improve the quality of this paper.

Funding

This work was supported in part by the National Science and Technology Major Project [grant number 2013ZX03002006], the National Natural Science Foundation [grant number 61300196], the Liaoning Province Science and Technology Projects [grant number 2013217004] and the The Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities [Grant N130317002].

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Fucai Zhou

Fucai Zhou received the PhD degree from Computer Software and Theory at Northeastern University, in 2001. He is currently a Professor and Doctoral Supervisor of Software College in Northeastern University. His research interests include cryptography, network security, trusted computing, basic theory, and critical technology in electronic commerce.

E-mail: [email protected]

Muqing Lin

Muqing Lin received the B.S. and M.S. degrees from Software Engineering, and Computer Architecture at Northeastern University, China, in 2007 and 2010, respectively. He is currently working toward the PhD degree in College of Information Science and Engineering, Northeastern University. His main research interests include non-interactive zero knowledge proof, secure cloud storage, and network security.

E-mail: [email protected]

Chen Chen

Chen Chen received the M.S. degree from Computer Application Technology at Northeastern University, China, in 2012. She is currently a PhD candidate in The University of New South Wales, Australia. Her main research interests include cryptography and network security, and non-interactive zero knowledge proof.

E-mail: [email protected]