Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electric, and NTT have launched a new encryption technology for secure and efficient implementation of an elliptic curve cryptosystem. The new encryption called “CRESERC” is the world’s first case of well-established leaders in the field of cryptography collaborating in the development of implementation technology by integrating their advanced skills and technologies. In March, the EU approved “NESSIE 5,” a project to select the next-generation cryptographic algorithms. They selected “Camellia” 6 jointly developed by Mitsubishi Electric and NTT, “MISTY1” 7 by Mitsubishi Electric, and “PSEC-KEM” 8 by NTT as recommended algorithms. Meanwhile, the ISO has been promoting the standardization of encryption goals by the Spring of 2004 at the earliest. In their deliberations, they have nominated not only “Camellia”, “MISTY1”, “PSEC-KEM” but also “MULTI-S01” 9 and “MUGI” 10 by Hitachi for international encryption standards. In addition, they have also been selected as recommended cryptographic algorithms by CRYPTREC: the cryptography evaluation project for e-governance by MPHPT (Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications) and METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry).
FULL STORY:
Hitachi, Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, and Nippon Telegraph and
Telephone Corporation hereafter, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electric
and NTT, respectively, announced their success in mutually researching and
developing an implementation technology of an elliptic curve cryptosystem
(ECDSA signature) 1. They named the technology “CRESERC”. To establish
this technology, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electric and NTT founded a project
team to research and develop a secure and efficient implementation for
elliptic curve cryptosystem (ECDSA signature). This is the world’s first
case of well-established leaders in the field of cryptography
collaborating in the development of implementation technology by
integrating their advanced skills and technologies.
Background to the Joint R&D
To realize e-governance 2 and the ubiquitous 3 environment listed in
“e-Japan Priority Policy Program”, there is a pressing need to establish a
fundamental technology to realize a truly secure communication
environment, and to support the advanced information sharing society.
Encryption and electronic authentication 4 are central to this technology.
“Secure and efficient implementation technology” is a vital R&D goal for
achieving practical use. However, R&D has been faced with a trade-off
between “security” and “efficiency”. Therefore, Hitachi, Mitsubishi
Electric and NTT launched the joint project and now they have succeeded in
developing an implementation technology with the worldÂfs strongest
security level while matching the efficiency of the existing products in
the market.
In March 2003, EU (European Union) approved NESSIE 5, a project to select
the next-generation cryptographic algorithms. They selected “Camellia” 6
jointly developed by Mitsubishi Electric and NTT, “MISTY1” 7 by Mitsubishi
Electric, and “PSEC-KEM” 8 by NTT as recommended algorithms. Meanwhile,
ISO (International Organization for Standardization) has been promoting
the standardization of encryption goals by the Spring of 2004 at the
earliest. In their deliberations, they have nominated not only
“Camellia”, “MISTY1”, “PSEC-KEM” but also “MULTI-S01” 9 and “MUGI” 10 by
Hitachi for international encryption standards. In addition, they have
also been selected as recommended cryptographic algorithms by CRYPTREC:
the cryptography evaluation project for e-governance by MPHPT (Ministry of
Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications) and METI
(Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry).
Since the late 1990’s, the U.S. and Japanese governments, EU and ISO, have
actively promoted these encryption algorithm validation, selection, and
standardization activities. They are now being almost completed, and the
cryptographic algorithms that will be widely used in the first half of the
21st century are being listed up. The above Japanese cryptographic
algorithm’s excellent efficiency and their high commercial viability (LSI
implementation) are highly regarded throughout these activities and it is
likely that one or more of these Japanese company’s algorithms will be
widely used. Currently, ISO and CRYPTREC recognize that they need to
emphasize “secure implementation”, and they plan to establish the
corresponding validation criteria and validation standards.
As concern over “secure implementation of cryptosystems” increases,
“CRESERC” is expected to be set into various application areas that
require information security (for example, e-governance and ubiquitous
communication systems) as the world’s leading implementation technology in
the field.
Roles of the 3 Companies
Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electric and NTT mutually carried out this joint R&D
by sharing their preeminent technology on the basis of their shared
advantage: the mathematical theory of elliptic curve cryptosystems. Their
roles are as follows:
Hitachi: secure implementation technology of elliptic curve
operations
Mitsubishi Electric: efficient implementation technology of elliptic curve
operations
NTT: efficient and secure implementation technology of basic
arithmetic
Future Plan
These three companies plan to launch products incorporating each company’s
preeminent technology in e-governance system and ubiquitous-related
security products based on their joint R&D results, namely “CRESERC”.
Terminology
1. Elliptic curve cryptosystem: Public key cryptosystems utilizing the
mathematical operations over elliptic curves. They can encrypt the data
using short key lengths at high efficiency while maintaining the high
level of security, thus it is receiving attention as the new generation
public key cryptosystems that can replace RSA schemes. ECDSA (Elliptic
Curve Digital Signature Algorithm) is a digital signature algorithm based
on elliptic curve cryptosystems; it has been selected by NESSIE and
CRYPTREC as one of the recommended signature schemes.
2. e-governance: A governance support tool that allow various tasks
including administration to be executed electrically by utilizing computer
systems and Internet technology.
3. Ubiquitous: Derived from Latin meaning “exists everywhere”. It means
the environment where user can access information network like the
Internet at any time from everywhere.
4. Electronic authentication: A technology to realize seals and seal
certificates in the electronic world by utilizing electronic signatures
and public key certificates (electronic certificates).
5. NESSIE (New European Schemes for Signatures, Integrity, and Encryption)
EU approved project to select the next-generation cryptographic schemes
started in 2000 and completed in the beginning of this year.
6. Camellia: 128 bit block encryption algorithm jointly developed by
Mitsubishi Electric and NTT. Specifications are already disclosed and
published.
7. MISTY1: 64 bit block encryption algorithm developed by Mitsubishi
Electric. Specifications are already disclosed and published.
8. PSEC-KEM: A public key encryption algorithm developed by NTT.
Specifications are already disclosed and published.
9. MULTI-S01: 256 bit key length stream encryption algorithm developed by
Hitachi. Specifications are already disclosed and published.
10. MUGI: 128 bit key length stream encryption algorithm developed by
Hitachi. Specifications are already disclosed and published.
About Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
With over 80 years of experience in providing reliable, high-quality
products to both corporate clients and general consumers all over the
world, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TSE: 6503) is a recognized world
leader in the manufacture, marketing and sales of electrical and
electronic equipment used in information processing and communications,
space development and satellite communications, consumer electronics,
industrial technology, energy, transportation and building equipment. The
company has operations in 35 countries and recorded consolidated group
sales of 3,639 billion yen (US$30.3 billion) in the year ended March 31,
2003.
About Hitachi, Ltd.
Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501 / NYSE: HIT) headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a
leading global electronics company, with approximately 320,000 employees
worldwide. Fiscal 2001 (ended March 31, 2002) consolidated sales totaled
7,994 billion yen ($60.1 billion). The company offers a wide range of
systems, products and services in market sectors, including information
systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer
products, materials and financial services.
About NTT
NTT (TSE: 6472)is a holding company of the Global Information Sharing
Enterprise Group and NTT group, which consists more than 430 companies.
One of the important missions of NTT group is to contribute the
achievement of a Ubiquitous Broadband society. NTT group concentrates on
integrating the group on expanding Broadband Service on Photonic Access,
Third Generation Cellular Phone, Wireless LAN, are provided for Access
means, promoting the structure of distributing the contents of Movies and
music, and enhance the providing contents.In November 2002, the
Vision for a new optical generation is announced.
