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Assignment No 6

The document discusses the Diffie-Hellman key exchange algorithm. It was developed in 1976 by Whitfield Diffie and Martin Hellman to enable two parties to agree on a shared secret key over an insecure channel. The algorithm uses prime numbers and exponentiation to generate the key. Both parties end up with the same shared key but it is computationally infeasible for others to determine the key by observing communications. While it addresses key exchange, Diffie-Hellman does not provide authentication and is susceptible to man-in-the-middle attacks. The document provides an example of how the algorithm is implemented.

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73 views3 pages

Assignment No 6

The document discusses the Diffie-Hellman key exchange algorithm. It was developed in 1976 by Whitfield Diffie and Martin Hellman to enable two parties to agree on a shared secret key over an insecure channel. The algorithm uses prime numbers and exponentiation to generate the key. Both parties end up with the same shared key but it is computationally infeasible for others to determine the key by observing communications. While it addresses key exchange, Diffie-Hellman does not provide authentication and is susceptible to man-in-the-middle attacks. The document provides an example of how the algorithm is implemented.

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Assignment No 6

Title:

Write a java program to implement Diffie Hellman Key Exchange Algorithm.

Theory:

Whitefield Diffie and Martin Hellman develop Diffie Hellman key exchange Algorithms in 1976
to overcome the problem of key agreement and exchange. It enables the two parties who want to
communicate with each other to agree on a symmetric key, a key that can be used for encrypting
and decryption; note that Diffie Hellman key exchange algorithm can be used for only key
exchange, not for encryption and decryption process. The algorithm is based on mathematical
principles.

Diffie Hellman Key Exchange Algorithm for Key Generation

The algorithm is based on Elliptic Curve Cryptography, a method of doing public-key


cryptography based on the algebra structure of elliptic curves over finite fields. The DH also uses
the trapdoor function, just like many other ways to do public-key cryptography. The simple idea
of understanding to the DH Algorithm is the following.

1. The first party picks two prime numbers, g and p and tells them to the second party.
2. The second party then picks a secret number (let’s call it a), and then it computes g a mod
p and sends the result back to the first party; let’s call the result A. Keep in mind that the
secret number is not sent to anyone, only the result is.
3. Then the first party does the same; it selects a secret number b and calculates the result B
similar to the step 2. Then, this result is sent to the second party.
4. The second party takes the received number B and calculates Ba mod p
5. The first party takes the received number A and calculates Ab mod p

This is where it gets interesting; the answer in step 5 is the same as the answer in step 4. This
means both parties will get the same answer no matter the order of exponentiation.

(ga mod p)b mod p = gab mod p
(gb mod p)a mod p = gba mod p

The number we came within steps 4 and 5 will be taken as the shared secret key. This key can be
used to do any encryption of data that will be transmitted, such as blowfish, AES, etc.

Diffie Hellman Algorithm

1. key =(YA)XBmod q -> this is the same as calculated by B

2. Global Public Elements

 q: q is a prime number
 a: a < q and α is the primitive root of q

3. Key generation for user A

 Select a Private key XA   Here, XA  <q

Now, Calculation of Public key YA     YA = aXA mod q

4. Key generation for user B

 Select a Private key XB    Here, XB  <q


 Now, Calculation of Public key YB      YB = aXb mod q

5. Calculation of Secret Key by A

 key =(YB)XA mod q

6. Calculation of Secret Key by B

 key =(YA)XB mod q

 Example

1. Alice and Bob both use public numbers P = 23, G = 5

2. Alice selected private key a = 4, and Bob selected b = 3 as the private key

3. Both Alice and bob now calculate the value of x and y as follows:

 Alice:    x = (54 mod 23) = 4


 Bob:    y = (53 mod 23) = 10

4. Now, both Alice and Bob exchange public numbers with each other.

5. Alice and Bob now calculate the symmetric keys

 Alice: ka = ya mod p = 104 mod 23 = 18


 Bob: kb = xb mod p = 43 mod 23 = 18

6. 18 is the shared secret key.

Advantages of the Diffie Hellman Algorithm

 The sender and receiver don’t need any prior knowledge of each other.
 Once the keys are exchanged, the communication of data can be done through an
insecure channel.
 The sharing of the secret key is safe.

Disadvantages of the Diffie Hellman Algorithm

 The algorithm can not be sued for any asymmetric key exchange.
 Similarly, it can not be used for signing digital signatures.
 Since it doesn’t authenticate any party in the transmission, the Diffie Hellman key
exchange is susceptible to a man-in-the-middle attack.

Conclusion

The Diffie Hellman key Exchange has proved to be a useful key exchange system due to its
advantages.  While it is really tough for someone snooping the network to decrypt the data and
get the keys, it is still possible if the numbers generated are not entirely random. Also, the key
exchange system makes it possible to do a man in the middle attack; to avoid it, both parties
should be very careful at the beginning of the exchange.

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