With the advent of quantum computing, research into post-quantum cryptography has gained significant attention. This is a novel branch of cryptography that utilizes algorithms and protocols designed to withstand attacks from quantum computers. Lattice theory represents a promising area within post-quantum cryptographic research. Two early examples of lattice-based cryptosystems are the GGH and NTRU schemes. These schemes are based on the challenge of finding the closest vector in a lattice and differ primarily in the type of lattice used. The NTRUSign protocol was developed by combining the strengths of both schemes. In 2008, another approach to lattice signatures was introduced by a group of authors. It is based on the hash-and-sign paradigm, in which a signature for a message is generated using a trapdoor. A year later, V. Lyubashevsky proposed another method for constructing lattice-based signatures that utilizes the Fiat — Shamir transform. However, due to the nature of the underlying lattice structure, the algorithm for signature generation produces a correct signature only with a certain probability. This is due to the use of a rejection sampling for security purposes. This paper presents an overview of existing lattice-based signature construction approaches and cryptographic schemes that are based on these approaches. A comparative analysis was conducted on these schemes, identifying the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Based on the results, optimal conditions for the application of each approach have been determined.
With the advent of quantum computing, research into post-quantum cryptography has gained significant attention. This is a novel branch of cryptography that utilizes algorithms and protocols designed to withstand attacks from quantum computers. Lattice theory represents a promising area within post-quantum cryptographic research. Two early examples of lattice-based cryptosystems are the GGH and NTRU schemes. These schemes are based on the challenge of finding the closest vector in a lattice and differ primarily in the type of lattice used. The NTRUSign protocol was developed by combining the strengths of both schemes. In 2008, another approach to lattice signatures was introduced by a group of authors. It is based on the hash-and-sign paradigm, in which a signature for a message is generated using a trapdoor. A year later, V. Lyubashevsky proposed another method for constructing lattice-based signatures that utilizes the Fiat — Shamir transform. However, due to the nature of the underlying lattice structure, the algorithm for signature generation produces a correct signature only with a certain probability. This is due to the use of a rejection sampling for security purposes. This paper presents an overview of existing lattice-based signature construction approaches and cryptographic schemes that are based on these approaches. A comparative analysis was conducted on these schemes, identifying the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Based on the results, optimal conditions for the application of each approach have been determined.
Abstract Lattice-based digital signature has become one of the widely recognized post-quantum algorithms because of its simple algebraic operation, rich mathematical foundation and worst-case security, and also an important tool for constructing cryptography. This survey explores lattice-based digital signatures, a promising post-quantum resistant alternative to traditional schemes relying on factoring or discrete logarithm problems, which face increasing risks from quantum computing. The study covers conventional paradigms like Hash-and-Sign and Fiat-Shamir, as well as specialized applications including group, ring, blind, and proxy signatures. It analyzes the versatility and security strengths of lattice-based schemes, providing practical insights. Each chapter summarizes advancements in schemes, identifying emerging trends. We also pinpoint future directions to deploy lattice-based digital signatures including quantum cryptography.
With the advancement of quantum computing, the utilization of quantum algorithms such as Shor’s algorithm enables the efficient resolution of problems that are intractable in classical computing paradigms, posing a significant threat to traditional signature schemes. Lattice-based cryptography is considered one of the most promising post-quantum cryptographic algorithms due to its computational advantages and potential resistance to quantum attacks. Proxy signature is an authorization mechanism that allows the original signer to delegate the signing power to a proxy. The security of existing proxy signature schemes is mostly based on classical hard problems, which cannot guarantee security under quantum attacks. Therefore, this paper combines lattice-based cryptography with proxy signatures to propose a new lattice-based proxy signature scheme (NLBPS). NLBPS constructs signatures using lattice-based trapdoor sampling algorithms and preimage sampling algorithms. Comparative analysis shows that the proposed scheme has relatively smaller key and signature sizes compared to some existing lattice-based proxy signature schemes, and it also offers a certain improvement in computational efficiency.
The landscape of modern cryptography, traditionally anchored in the computational hardness of number-theoretic problems such as integer factorization and the discrete logarithm problem, faces an existential threat from the advent of quantum computing. Shor's algorithm, discovered in 1994, demonstrates the theoretical capability of a sufficiently powerful quantum computer to efficiently solve these problems, rendering widely used cryptographic schemes like RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) insecure. This imminent threat necessitates a paradigm shift towards post-quantum cryptography (PQC), which aims to develop cryptographic algorithms resistant to both classical and quantum attacks. Among the various candidates for PQC, lattice-based cryptography has emerged as a particularly promising area. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the transition from classical number theory-based cryptography to lattice-based schemes. We explore the fundamental mathematical principles underlying lattices, introduce key lattice problems such as the Shortest Vector Problem (SVP), Closest Vector Problem (CVP), Small Integer Solution (SIS), and Learning With Errors (LWE), and discuss their application in constructing quantum-resistant cryptographic primitives. Furthermore, we analyze the security, efficiency, and practical considerations of prominent lattice-based cryptosystems, highlighting their role in the ongoing NIST post-quantum cryptography standardization process. The paper concludes by discussing the challenges and future directions in the deployment and research of lattice-based cryptographic solutions.
The security of classical public-key cryptosystems, which operate based on the computational intractability of integer factorization and discrete logarithm problems, is profoundly threatened by the rapid development of quantum computing. Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) has been proposed to improve security against quantum attacks. Lattice-based cryptography is widely regarded as one of the most promising PQC method because of its proven security, efficient implementation, and functional versatility, and it has achieved significant progress in both algorithmic design and engineering implementation in recent years. This paper presents a systematic survey of the status of research on lattice-based cryptographic algorithms. First, the fundamental theory of lattices and their core hard problems are discussed. Next, the technical characteristics and performance of encryption and key encapsulation mechanisms, digital signature schemes, and key exchange protocols constructed based on lattice hard problems are reviewed and compared. Subsequently, the principles and optimization paths of two key technologies for lattice cryptography implementation, namely polynomial multiplication using the fast Number Theoretic Transform (NTT) and pre-image sampling algorithms, are discussed. Finally, considering the PQC standardization process of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an outlook on future research directions for lattice-based cryptography is presented. The research directions include the development of more "succinct" fundamental hard problems, strengthening security proofs, improving algorithm efficiency, and countering novel attacks. This review serves as a reference for promoting the practical deployment and further research of lattice-based cryptography.
Digital signatures and key exchange protocols are the two most important public key cryptographic primitives used in the electronic transmission of data. The goal of key exchange is to preserve the secrecy of the communication, while the goal of digital signatures is to guarantee the authenticity of the exchanged messages. Constructions of digital signature schemes based on classical mathematical assumptions appeared shortly following the invention of public key cryptography in the late 1970s. And just like with key exchange, the most efficient variants are based on number-theoretic problems that are believed to be (sub)-exponentially hard for classical machines, but are solved in polynomial time by Shor’s algorithm on a powerful-enough quantum computer. Also, like for key exchange, the most efficient constructions that we believe to be quantum safe are based on the presumed hardness of lattice problems over polynomial rings. One interesting difference between key exchange and digital signatures is that key exchange appears to inherently require that some mathematical problem be computationally hard. Digital signatures, on the other hand, can be generically constructed from any one-way function [1,2]. So even though they certainly fall into the category of public key primitives based on their usage, their existence requires much weaker assumptions. Additionally, the transformation from a one-way function to a digital signature is not too inefficient. For example, the total parameter size (public key + signature) of the SPHINCS+ scheme [3] is around 40 kB. While these sizes are larger, and signing times considerably longer, than those of signatures based on factoring or discrete log, it is still a usable scheme for many applications. And being only based on symmetric assumptions (e.g. one wayness and collision resistance of cryptographic hash functions), its security is very attractive. In order to be considered an interesting alternative to the above-mentioned signature, a scheme based on a mathematical assumption would need to have significant performance advantages. Schemes based on factoring and the discrete logarithm problem were significantly shorter and faster, and so the generic approach lay dormant for over four decades. The new quantum-safe schemes will need to have similar performance advantages if they are to be used in lieu of this safe approach. Below, we describe two techniques for constructing lattice-based digital signatures with output sizes being just a few kilobytes. On a very high level, lattice-based signature constructions follow the two known approaches for constructing classical signatures. In the first approach, the signer outputs a function f and an image y = f(x) as his public key and keeps x as his secret key. To sign a message μ, he gives a non-interactive zero-knowledge proof that he knows an x satisfying y = f(x), using the message μ to create the ‘challenge’ H(μ) for the proof (where H is a public function that maps μ to something ‘random looking’). If the function f is one way then the verifier should be convinced that the proof could have only been created by the entity who knows x. A classic example of this type of scheme is the Schnorr signature scheme [4] based on the hardness of the discrete logarithm problem. The second approach is to create a function f together with a trapdoor f−1, output f as the public key and keep f−1 as the secret key. A message μ is signed by using the secret trapdoor to create a pre-image x such that f(x) = H(μ). Again, if the function f is one way then only someone in possession of a trapdoor should be able to invert it. An example of such a construction based on a ‘factoring-like’ assumption is the RSA signature scheme [5]. The high-level ideas for lattice-based signatures follow the above blueprints, but the technical details are significantly more involved. The main reason for the complications is the different algebraic structure of the hard one-way function underlying lattice cryptography. While the domain of the function in discrete log and RSA-based one-way functions are groups, the domains in lattice-based signatures are sets that are not closed under any operation—in particular, they are elements in a group that have small norms. This crucial small norm requirement precludes us from using uniformly random masking as in Schnorr signatures or having a trapdoor for a bijective one-way function as in RSA signatures. These barriers have, nevertheless, been overcome and the resulting digital signatures are quite practical. In 2017, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) began a ‘competition’ for a quantum-safe key exchange and digital signatures standard. At the time of this writing, this process is in the third round and there are two lattice-based signatures remaining—each following one of the above high-level designs. The CRYSTALS-Dilithium [6] scheme follows the Schnorr framework, but adds a crucial rejection-sampling step to keep the size of the coefficients small. The FALCON scheme [7] utilizes a randomized trapdoor sampling technique that uses a secret trapdoor for f−1 to produce random pre-images from a particular distribution. Because there is no longer a bijection, it is crucial to also have the property that the distribution of the outputted pre-images does not leak information about the trapdoor. Both schemes are relatively fast and their parameters (public key + signature size) are the shortest of all quantum-safe signature schemes. While both schemes are based on lattices, they have rather different characteristics. FALCON has very short parameters (see Table 1), but entails a rather complicated procedure for signature generation. In particular, it uses (an optimized version of) the GPV sampler [8], which requires floating-point arithmetic with approximately 64 bits of precision. Requiring such high precision means that subtle implementation errors may not get detected even with rigorous testing. Dilithium, on the other hand, has larger parameters but a very simple implementation where all the sampling in the signing is done in a power-of-2 range; it is thus much less prone to implementation errors. It is quite possible that in the future both schemes will be used for different applications. Approximate parameter sizes (in bytes) for the CRYSTALS-Dilithium and FALCON digital signature schemes at approximately 128-bit security levels. Approximate parameter sizes (in bytes) for the CRYSTALS-Dilithium and FALCON digital signature schemes at approximately 128-bit security levels. Conflict of interest statement. None declared.
So far, most ring signature schemes rely on hard number theory problems, such as discrete logarithm, bilinear pairings and so on. Unfortunately, the above underlying number theory problems will be solvable in the post quantum era. Lattice-based cryptography is a hotspot of research recently, due to its implementation simplicity and provable security reductions. When the hash-and-sign signature scheme was constructed based on the hardness of worst-case lattice problems, provably secure lattice-based ring signature schemes were finally constructed. However, the hash-and-sign ring signatures were rather inefficient (with megabytes long signatures). In this paper, we propose an alternative method for constructing lattice-based and identity-based ring signature scheme which does not use the hash-and-sign methodology. In the random oracle model, the proposed signature scheme based on the problem in general lattices is unforgeable and holds anonymity. Compared with the previous instantiations of the hash-and-sign ring signature schemes, the lengths of secret key, public key and signatures in the proposed scheme are much shorter. The signing algorithm is quite simple, with matrix-vector multiplications and rejection samplings.