Overview

What does Group Key Exchange do?

Generally speaking, in cryptographic applications key exchanges are used to negotiate a secret symmetric key (a random number) between two users. The negotiated key is then used by other symmetric cryptographic primitives such as block ciphers, stream ciphers and hash functions to enable messages to be securely transmitted between users at higher speeds. In the majority of cryptographic applications the identity of one or more of the users exchanging key material is cryptographically authenticated as part of the key exchange. This is called an authenticated key exchange. E-commerce uses authenticated key exchanges to validate the identity of the website to the user.

The Synaptic Group Key Exchange (Group KX) is an authenticated key exchange technology rated to provide a robust level of security for up to 100 years with a high assurance level. The Group KX is designed for use on low-cost smart cards and network attached hardware security modules. Secure desktop communications is enabled through the use of smart cards that run the Group KX protocols.

What problem does Group KX solve?

The Synaptic Group KX solves several important problems:

• how to build a low cost high assurance many-to-many key exchange that is secure against code-breaking quantum computers without the use of quantum physics
• how to create a many-to-many key exchange network with a 100+ year security rating over traditional data networks
• how to securely initiate a secure communications infrastructure in a way that ensures that the technical administrators cannot subvert the system, even if they had access to a code-breaking quantum computer

What environments is Group KX intended for?

The Synaptic Group KX is intended for environments that require the highest level of data security. Classic examples include large multi-national organisations, providers of global data communications networks, government bodies and any organisation that has been entrusted to manage large volumes of highly sensitive personal and business data.

The inherent low cost nature of the Group KX solution allows the technology to become affordable to individuals and small groups. For example Group KX can be used by people who wish to talk with their family and medical advisers and counsellors about their health problems over a secure channel. Another example might include preserving the confidentiality of communications between a lawyer and their client.

What applications is it intended for?

The Synaptic Group KX is ideal for applications where there are around 500 or less users in a group and where the maximum number of users in the group is known in advance. Examples include:

• secure communications between members of a highly sensitive commercial or medical team
• establishing secure communications between network attached servers performing business to business (B2B) or back-office operations
• protecting communications between mission critical infrastructure such as routers on the network
• protecting communications between an administrator and critical control infrastructure systems

What other components are required to make a complete system?

The typical online cryptographic system designed to enable secure communications between two users requires a privacy primitive (block cipher or stream cipher), a cryptographic hash function, a key exchange algorithm and may also use a digital signature algorithm.

For example many commercial Quantum Key Distribution vendors often sell hardware to encrypt and decrypt network data using the AES-256 cipher.

Synaptic intends to offer the group key exchange as part of a complete system that includes data privacy and data integrity operations that offer a higher level of security currently than is currently offered by commercial Quantum Key Distribution vendors when key-expansion is used. For example data encryption within our system could be performed using the Synaptic Post Quantum Secure DES cipher (PQSDES) with a 512-bit key. This solution will enable interoperable communications between extremely low cost smart cards, ambient intelligence devices, desktops and high performance servers over any data network.

Can Group KX use standards based cryptographic components?

Yes. Synaptic Labs' Group KX can be deployed using the US NIST's strongest cryptographic primitives for data privacy and hashing: AES-256 and SHA-512 respectively.

While it is not required to achieve a secure key exchange our conservative defence-in-depth strategy will use the RSA algorithm present in smart cards to perform a classical key exchange that is protected by the group-key exchange technology. This allows companies to satisfy compliance requirements while achieving the highest level of security.

How much will it cost?

Synaptic Labs' group key exchange technology can be deployed on low cost hardware security modules (HSM) such as smart cards. Alternatively the Group KX technology can be deployed on rack-mount HSM that also offer a secure platform for deploying cryptographic applications. The choice of hardware platform will have a significant impact on the final cost of the system.

Where can I register my interest?

We This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it all expressions of interest in our range of key exchange technologies. After your registration has been approved you may be granted access to additional information such as slide shows and other technical documentation as it becomes available.