An authentication protocol based on chaos and zero knowledge proof

Major, Will; Buchanan, William J.; Ahmad, Jawad

Abstract

Port Knocking is a method for authenticating clients through a closed stance firewall, and authorising their requested actions, enabling severs to offer services to authenticated clients, without opening ports on the firewall. Advances in port knocking have resulted in an increase in complexity in design, preventing port knocking solutions from realising their potential. This paper proposes a novel port knocking solution, named Crucible, which is a secure method of authentication, with high usability and features of stealth, allowing servers and services to remain hidden and protected. Crucible is a stateless solution, only requiring the client memorise a command, the server's IP and a chosen password. The solution is forwarded as a method for protecting servers against attacks ranging from port scans, to zero-day exploitation. To act as a random oracle for both client and server, cryptographic hashes were generated through chaotic systems.

Citation

Major, W., Buchanan, W. J., & Ahmad, J. (2020). An authentication protocol based on chaos and zero knowledge proof. Nonlinear Dynamics, 99, 3065-3087. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11071-020-05463-3

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 1, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Jan 21, 2020
• Publication Date: 2020-04
• Deposit Date: Jan 22, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 22, 2020
• Journal: Nonlinear Dynamics
• Print ISSN: 0924-090X
• Electronic ISSN: 1573-269X
• Publisher: Springer
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 99
• Pages: 3065-3087
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11071-020-05463-3
• Keywords: Control and Systems Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Electrical and Electronic Engineering; Applied Mathematics; Ocean Engineering; Aerospace Engineering
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2495312
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11071-020-05463-3