New Code-Based Cryptosystem with Arbitrary Error Vectors

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel, code-independent method to significantly reduce the public key size in the McEliece cryptosystem, enhancing practicality while maintaining quantum resistance.

Contribution

It proposes a new general approach to reduce key size in McEliece cryptosystem that does not depend on specific code types like Goppa codes.

Findings

Achieves smaller public keys without compromising security

Applicable to various linear codes for cryptosystem implementation

Maintains resistance to quantum attacks

Abstract

McEliece cryptosystem represents a smart open key system based on the hardness of the decoding of an arbitrary linear code, which is believed to be able to resist the advent of quantum computers. But the original McEliece cryptosystem, based on Goppa codes, has just very limited interest in practice, partly because it requires a very large public key. In this paper we propose a new general way to reduce the public key size. Unlike most papers on reducing key length of the cryptosystem, where original Goppa codes are substituted by some other codes, we suggest a new method of key size reduction which is code-independent.