A Simple Method for Secret-Key Generation Between Mobile Users Across Networks

TL;DR

This paper introduces the AAA method, a simple, adaptive approach for mobile users to generate secret keys continuously by superimposing exchanged bits, enhancing privacy without requiring knowledge of interception probabilities.

Contribution

The paper presents the AAA method, a novel, accumulative technique for secret-key renewal that is robust against certain interception correlations and does not rely on non-stationary probability knowledge.

Findings

Achieves secrecy robustness against some correlations known to Eve.

Performance comparable to methods using knowledge of interception probabilities.

Enables continuous secret-key renewal between mobile users.

Abstract

Two or more mobiles users can continuously superimpose sequences of bits chosen from different packets or files already exchanged and authenticated between themselves to continuously renew a secret key for continuous strengthening of their privacy and authentication. This accumulative, adaptable and additive (AAA) method is discussed in this paper. The equivocation to Eve of any bit in the generated key by the AAA method equals to the probability that not all corresponding independent bits exchanged between the users are intercepted by Eve. This performance, achieved without using any knowledge of non-stationary probabilities of bits being intercepted by Eve, is compared to an established capacity achievable using that knowledge. A secrecy robustness of the AAA method against some correlations known to Eve is also discussed.