Delaram Kahrobaei

Delaram Kahrobaei, Arsalan Akram Malik, Dmytro Savchuk

We propose self-similar contracting groups as a platform for cryptographic schemes based on simultaneous conjugacy search problem (SCSP). The class of these groups contains extraordinary examples like Grigorchuk group, which is known to be non-linear, thus making some of existing attacks against SCSP inapplicable. The groups in this class admit a natural normal form based on the notion of a nucleus portrait, that plays a key role in our approach. While for some groups in the class the conjugacy search problem has been studied, there are many groups for which no algorithms solving it are known. Moreover, there are some self-similar groups with undecidable conjugacy problem. We discuss benefits and drawbacks of using these groups in group-based cryptography and provide computational analysis of variants of the length-based attack on SCSP for some groups in the class, including Grigorchuk group, Basilica group, and others.

Asmaa Cherkaoui, Ramon Flores, Delaram Kahrobaei et al.

We propose Eidolon, a practical post-quantum signature scheme based on the NP-complete k-colorability problem. Our construction generalizes the Goldreich-Micali-Wigderson zero-knowledge protocol to arbitrary k >= 3, applies the Fiat-Shamir transform, and uses Merkle-tree commitments to compress signatures from O(tn) to O(t log n). Crucially, we generate hard instances via planted "quiet" colorings that preserve the statistical profile of random graphs. We present the first empirical security analysis of such a scheme against both classical solvers (ILP, DSatur) and a custom graph neural network (GNN) attacker. Experiments show that for n >= 60, neither approach recovers the secret coloring, demonstrating that well-engineered k-coloring instances can resist modern cryptanalysis, including machine learning. This revives combinatorial hardness as a credible foundation for post-quantum signatures.

Delaram Kahrobaei, Ramón Flores, Marialaura Noce

In this expository article we present an overview of the current state-of-the-art in post-quantum group-based cryptography. We describe several families of groups that have been proposed as platforms, with special emphasis in polycyclic groups and graph groups, dealing in particular with their algorithmic properties and cryptographic applications. We then, describe some applications of combinatorial algebra in fully homomorphic encryption. In the end we discussing several open problems in this direction.

Christopher Battarbee, Delaram Kahrobaei, Siamak F. Shahandashti

Of the many families of cryptographic schemes proposed to be post-quantum, a relatively unexplored set of examples comes from group-based cryptography. One of the more central schemes from this area is the so-called Semidirect Product Key Exchange (SDPKE), a generalisation of Diffie-Hellman Key Exchange that is plausibly post-quantum. In this report we survey the state of the literature relating to SDPKE, providing a high-level discussion of security, as well as a comprehensive overview of the proposed platforms and the main cryptanalytic ideas relevant to each.

Christopher Battarbee, Delaram Kahrobaei, Dylan Tailor et al.

All instances of the semidirect key exchange protocol, a generalisation of the famous Diffie-Hellman key exchange protocol, satisfy the so-called "telescoping equality"; in some cases, this equality has been used to construct an attack. In this report we present computational evidence suggesting that an instance of the scheme called `MOBS' is an example of a scheme where the telescoping equality has too many solutions to be a practically viable means to conduct an attack.

Christopher Battarbee, Delaram Kahrobaei, Siamak F. Shahandashti

It was recently demonstrated that the Matrix Action Key Exchange (MAKE) algorithm, a new type of key exchange protocol using the semidirect product of matrix groups, is vulnerable to a linear algebraic attack if the matrices are over a commutative ring. In this note, we establish conditions under which protocols using matrices over a non-commutative ring are also vulnerable to this attack. We then demonstrate that group rings $R[G]$ are examples of non-commutative rings that satisfy these conditions.

Delaram Kahrobaei, Mima Stanojkovski

To any nilpotent group of class n, one can associate a non-interactive key exchange protocol between n+1 users. The multilinear commutator maps associated to nilpotent groups play a key role in this protocol. In the present paper, we discuss the security of this key exchange when applied to finite p-groups and explore some alternative platforms, such as pro-p groups.

Delaram Kahrobaei, Antonio Tortora, Maria Tota

In a previous paper we generalized the definition of a multilinear map to arbitrary groups and introduced two multiparty key-exchange protocols using nilpotent groups. In this paper we have a closer look at the protocols and will address some incorrect cryptanalysis which have been proposed.

Steve Isaac, Delaram Kahrobaei

We examine two public key exchange protocols proposed recently by Grigoriev and Shpilrain (arXiv:1811.06386), which use tropical algebra. We introduce a fast attack on the first protocol, and we show that the second protocol cannot be implemented as described.

Delaram Kahrobaei, Antonio Tortora, Maria Tota

In this paper we generalize the definition of a multilinear map to arbitrary groups and develop a novel idea of multilinear cryptosystem using nilpotent group identities.

Kelsey Horan, Delaram Kahrobaei

In this paper we discuss the Hidden Subgroup Problem (HSP) in relation to post-quantum group-based cryptography. We review the relationship between HSP and other computational problems discuss an optimal solution method, and review the known results about the quantum complexity of HSP. We also overview some platforms for group-based cryptosystems. Notably, efficient algorithms for solving HSP in such infinite group platforms are not yet known.

Jean-Charles Faug`ere, Kelsey Horan, Delaram Kahrobaei et al.

In August 2015 the cryptographic world was shaken by a sudden and surprising announcement by the US National Security Agency NSA concerning plans to transition to post-quantum algorithms. Since this announcement post-quantum cryptography has become a topic of primary interest for several standardization bodies. The transition from the currently deployed public-key algorithms to post-quantum algorithms has been found to be challenging in many aspects. In particular the problem of evaluating the quantum-bit security of such post-quantum cryptosystems remains vastly open. Of course this question is of primarily concern in the process of standardizing the post-quantum cryptosystems. In this paper we consider the quantum security of the problem of solving a system of {\it $m$ Boolean multivariate quadratic equations in $n$ variables} (\MQb); a central problem in post-quantum cryptography. When $n=m$, under a natural algebraic assumption, we present a Las-Vegas quantum algorithm solving \MQb{} that requires the evaluation of, on average, $O(2^{0.462n})$ quantum gates. To our knowledge this is the fastest algorithm for solving \MQb{}.

Jonathan Gryak, Robert M. Haralick, Delaram Kahrobaei

Machine learning and pattern recognition techniques have been successfully applied to algorithmic problems in free groups. In this paper, we seek to extend these techniques to finitely presented non-free groups, with a particular emphasis on polycyclic and metabelian groups that are of interest to non-commutative cryptography. As a prototypical example, we utilize supervised learning methods to construct classifiers that can solve the conjugacy decision problem, i.e., determine whether or not a pair of elements from a specified group are conjugate. The accuracies of classifiers created using decision trees, random forests, and N-tuple neural network models are evaluated for several non-free groups. The very high accuracy of these classifiers suggests an underlying mathematical relationship with respect to conjugacy in the tested groups.

Indira Chatterji, Delaram Kahrobaei, Ni Yen Lu

In this paper we propose cryptosystems based on subgroup distortion in hyperbolic groups. We also include concrete examples of hyperbolic groups as possible platforms.

Ramón Flores, Delaram Kahrobaei

In this paper we propose right-angled Artin groups as a platform for secret sharing schemes based on the efficiency (linear time) of the word problem. Inspired by previous work of Grigoriev-Shpilrain in the context of graphs, we define two new problems: Subgroup Isomorphism Problem and Group Homomorphism Problem. Based on them, we also propose two new authentication schemes. For right-angled Artin groups, the Group Homomorphism and Graph Homomorphism problems are equivalent, and the later is known to be NP-complete. In the case of the Subgroup Isomorphism problem, we bring some results due to Bridson who shows there are right-angled Artin groups in which this problem is unsolvable.

Jonathan Gryak, Delaram Kahrobaei

Polycyclic groups are natural generalizations of cyclic groups but with more complicated algorithmic properties. They are finitely presented and the word, conjugacy, and isomorphism decision problems are all solvable in these groups. Moreover, the non-virtually nilpotent ones exhibit an exponential growth rate. These properties make them suitable for use in group-based cryptography, which was proposed in 2004 by Eick and Kahrobaei. Since then, many cryptosystems have been created that employ polycyclic groups. These include key exchanges such as non-commutative ElGamal, authentication schemes based on the twisted conjugacy problem, and secret sharing via the word problem. In response, heuristic and deterministic methods of cryptanalysis have been developed, including the length-based and linear decomposition attacks. Despite these efforts, there are classes of infinite polycyclic groups that remain suitable for cryptography. The analysis of algorithms for search and decision problems in polycyclic groups has also been developed. In addition to results for the aforementioned problems we present those concerning polycyclic representations, group morphisms, and orbit decidability. Though much progress has been made, many algorithmic and complexity problems remain unsolved, we conclude with a number of them. Of particular interest is to show that cryptosystems using infinite polycyclic groups are resistant to cryptanalysis on a quantum computer.

Delaram Kahrobaei, Vladimir Shpilrain

In this survey, we describe a general key exchange protocol based on semidirect product of (semi)groups (more specifically, on extensions of (semi)groups by automorphisms), and then focus on practical instances of this general idea. This protocol can be based on any group or semigroup, in particular on any non-commutative group. One of its special cases is the standard Diffie-Hellman protocol, which is based on a cyclic group. However, when this protocol is used with a non-commutative (semi)group, it acquires several useful features that make it compare favorably to the Diffie-Hellman protocol. The focus then shifts to selecting an optimal platform (semi)group, in terms of security and efficiency. We show, in particular, that one can get a variety of new security assumptions by varying an automorphism used for a (semi)group extension.

Delaram Kahrobaei, Ha T. Lam

Garber, Kahrobaei, and Lam studied polycyclic groups generated by number field as platform for the AAG key-exchange protocol. In this paper, we discuss the use of a different kind of polycyclic groups, Heisenberg groups, as a platform group for AAG by submitting Heisenberg groups to one of AAG's major attacks, the length-based attack.

Bren Cavallo, Delaram Kahrobaei

In this paper we study the conjugacy problem in polycyclic groups. Our main result is that we construct polycyclic groups $G_n$ whose conjugacy problem is at least as hard as the subset sum problem with $n$ indeterminates. As such, the conjugacy problem over the groups $G_n$ is NP-complete where the parameters of the problem are taken in terms of $n$ and the length of the elements given on input.

Delaram Kahrobaei, Elizabeth Vidaurre

In his paper Stadler develops techniques for improving the security of existing secret sharing protocols by allowing to check whether the secret shares given out by the dealer are valid. In particular, the secret sharing is executed over abelian groups. In this paper we develop similar methods over non-abelian groups.

Delaram Kahrobaei, Charalambos Koupparis, Vladimir Shpilrain

We propose a cryptosystem based on matrices over group rings and claim that it is secure against adaptive chosen ciphertext attack.

Bren Cavallo, Delaram Kahrobaei

In this paper we review the Habeeb-Kahrobaei-Shpilrain secret sharing scheme and introduce a variation based on the shortlex order on a free group. Drawing inspiration from adjustments to classical schemes, we also present a method that allows for the protocol to remain secure after multiple secrets are shared.

Michael Anshel, Delaram Kahrobaei

A method for non-abelian Cramer-Shoup cryptosystem is presented. The role of decision and search is explored, and the platform of solvable/polycyclic group is suggested. In the process we review recent progress in non-abelian cryptography and post some open problems that naturally arise from this path of research.

David Garber, Delaram Kahrobaei, Ha T. Lam

After the Anshel-Anshel-Goldfeld (AAG) key-exchange protocol was introduced in 1999, it was implemented and studied with braid groups and with the Thompson group as its underlying platforms. The length-based attack, introduced by Hughes and Tannenbaum, has been used to extensively study AAG with the braid group as the underlying platform. Meanwhile, a new platform, using polycyclic groups, was proposed by Eick and Kahrobaei. In this paper, we show that with a high enough Hirsch length, the polycyclic group as an underlying platform for AAG is resistant to the length-based attack. In particular, polycyclic groups could provide a secure platform for any cryptosystem based on conjugacy search problem such as non-commutative Diffie-Hellman, ElGamal and Cramer-Shoup key exchange protocols.

Maggie Habeeb, Delaram Kahrobaei, Charalambos Koupparis et al.

In this paper, we describe a brand new key exchange protocol based on a semidirect product of (semi)groups (more specifically, on extension of a (semi)group by automorphisms), and then focus on practical instances of this general idea. Our protocol can be based on any group, in particular on any non-commutative group. One of its special cases is the standard Diffie-Hellman protocol, which is based on a cyclic group. However, when our protocol is used with a non-commutative (semi)group, it acquires several useful features that make it compare favorably to the Diffie-Hellman protocol. Here we also suggest a particular non-commutative semigroup (of matrices) as the platform and show that security of the relevant protocol is based on a quite different assumption compared to that of the standard Diffie-Hellman protocol.

Delaram Kahrobaei, Charalambos Koupparis, Vladimir Shpilrain

We offer a public key exchange protocol in the spirit of Diffie-Hellman, but we use (small) matrices over a group ring of a (small) symmetric group as the platform. This "nested structure" of the platform makes computation very efficient for legitimate parties. We discuss security of this scheme by addressing the Decision Diffie-Hellman (DDH) and Computational Diffie-Hellman (CDH) problems for our platform.

Delaram Kahrobaei, Charalambos Koupparis

The objective of this work is to survey several digital signatures proposed in the last decade using non-commutative groups and rings and propose a digital signature using non-commutative groups and analyze its security.

Maggie Habeeb, Delaram Kahrobaei, Vladimir Shpilrain

A (t,n)-threshold secret sharing scheme is a method to distribute a secret among n participants in such a way that any t participants can recover the secret, but no t-1 participants can. In this paper, we propose two secret sharing schemes using non-abelian groups. One scheme is the special case where all the participants must get together to recover the secret. The other one is a (t,n)-threshold scheme that is a combination of Shamir's scheme and the group-theoretic scheme proposed in this paper.