Analysis and Applications of Two Group-Theoretic Problems in Post-Quantum Cryptography
Bibliographic record
Abstract
This thesis makes significant contributions to the analysis of two computational problems arising from a cryptosystem in group-based, post-quantum cryptography, and proposes a novel application of the underlying mathematical structure. \n \nAfter an introductory Chapter 1 setting the historical context in which our research appears, Chapter 2 begins by introducing Semidirect Product Key Exchange (SDPKE), a generalisation of the famous Diffie-Hellman Key Exchange. Various cryptosystems are discussed in this framework and their respective cryptanalyses are systematised and interpreted as analysis of the complexity of a computational problem called the Semidirect Computational Diffie-Hellman problem. We also augment some of this analysis with our own results, and fill out technical gaps implicit in the literature. \n \nSDPKE also naturally gives rise to an analogue of the Discrete Logarithm Problem, called the Semidirect Discrete Logarithm Problem (SDLP). Almost nothing was known about this problem - partially because of a misunderstanding of its importance in the literature - but in Chapter 3 we classify its quantum complexity by proving that the structure of SDPKE occurs as an example of a so-called cryptographic group action. Doing so requires the development of a bespoke quantum algorithm to get around certain technical difficulties; this is the first example of a quantum algorithm constructed for use in the cryptanalysis of group-based cryptography. \n \nThe structure of a cryptographic group action gives us access to a surprisingly rich variety of work, including an idea for an efficient Digital Signature Scheme based on the structure of cryptographic group actions. In Chapter 4 we define this scheme, christened SPDH-Sign; we prove its security, and show that the SDPKE-type group action offers advantages with respect to efficient sampling compared to other group actions. We also propose a particular group for use with SPDH-Sign, taking into account the cryptanalytic work discussed throughout the rest of the thesis.
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How this classification was reachedexpand
Full frame machine prediction
Teacher imitationNot calibrated prevalence, not ground truth. Human validation pending. The Gemma side is a direct model label for every work in the frame, read from the title-only record. The Codex side is a classifier learned from the 10,348 direct Codex labels and calibrated to design-weighted sample rates; fields without enough sample support carry no Codex call. Candidate is the union of the two sides; consensus is their intersection. These outputs are machine_predicted_unvalidated and are not human labels.
Distilled classifier scores by category (both heads)
| Category | Codex | Gemma |
|---|---|---|
| Metaresearch | 0.004 | 0.010 |
| Meta-epidemiology (narrow) | 0.001 | 0.000 |
| Meta-epidemiology (broad) | 0.001 | 0.002 |
| Bibliometrics | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Science and technology studies | 0.002 | 0.007 |
| Scholarly communication | 0.005 | 0.010 |
| Open science | 0.002 | 0.004 |
| Research integrity | 0.002 | 0.005 |
| Insufficient payload (model declined to judge) | 0.009 | 0.001 |
Machine scores (provisional)
The two teacher heads of the student model, read on this work. A score orders the frame for review; it never asserts a category, and the validation status ships verbatim with every row.
Baseline scores from an immature model (maturity gate not passed, 7 training rounds). Scores rank; they never assert a category.
score_only:v0-immature-baseline · verbatim from the scoring run: score_only means the number may rank works, and no category label ships from itClassification
machine, unvalidatedMachine predicted; a candidate call from one source (direct Gemma or distilled Codex), not a consensus.
How this classification was reached, model by model and score by score, is at the end of the page under "How this classification was reached".