On the Simulatability Condition in Key Generation Over a Non-authenticated Public Channel

TL;DR

This paper develops polynomial-time algorithms using linear programming to efficiently check the simulatability condition and find attack strategies in key generation over non-authenticated channels, addressing open computational questions.

Contribution

It introduces LP-based methods to determine the simulatability condition and derive attack strategies efficiently, solving previously open problems.

Findings

LP-based algorithms can check the simulatability condition in polynomial time

Optimal LP value of zero indicates the condition holds

LP minimizer provides a valid attack strategy

Abstract

Simulatability condition is a fundamental concept in studying key generation over a non-authenticated public channel, in which Eve is active and can intercept, modify and falsify messages exchanged over the non-authenticated public channel. Using this condition, Maurer and Wolf showed a remarkable "all or nothing" result: if the simulatability condition does not hold, the key capacity over the non-authenticated public channel will be the same as that of the case with a passive Eve, while the key capacity over the non-authenticated channel will be zero if the simulatability condition holds. However, two questions remain open so far: 1) For a given joint probability mass function (PMF), are there efficient algorithms (polynomial complexity algorithms) for checking whether the simulatability condition holds or not?; and 2) If the simulatability condition holds, are there efficient algorithms for finding the corresponding attack strategy? In this paper, we answer these two open questions affirmatively. In particular, for a given joint PMF, we construct a linear programming (LP) problem and show that the simulatability condition holds \textit{if and only if} the optimal value obtained from the constructed LP is zero. Furthermore, we construct another LP and show that the minimizer of the newly constructed LP is a valid attack strategy. Both LPs can be solved with a polynomial complexity.