Limits on Adaptive Security for Attribute-Based Encryption

Zvika Brakerski, Stav Medina

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

This work addresses the long quest for proving full (adaptive) security for attribute-based encryption (ABE). We show that in order to prove full security in a black-box manner, the scheme must be “irregular” in the sense that it is impossible to “validate” secret keys to ascertain consistent decryption of ciphertexts. This extends a result of Lewko and Waters (Eurocrypt 2014) that was only applicable to straight-line proofs (without rewinding). Our work, therefore, establishes that it is impossible to circumvent the irregularity property using creative proof techniques, so long as the adversary is used in a black-box manner. As a consequence, our work provides an explanation as to why some lattice-based ABE schemes cannot be proven fully secure, even though no known adaptive attacks exist.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationTheory of Cryptography - 22nd International Conference, TCC 2024, Proceedings
EditorsElette Boyle, Mohammad Mahmoody
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media B.V.
Pages91-123
Number of pages33
ISBN (Print)9783031780196
DOIs
StatePublished - 2025
Event22nd Theory of Cryptography Conference, TCC 2024 - Milan, Italy
Duration: 2 Dec 20246 Dec 2024

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume15366 LNCS
ISSN (Print)0302-9743

Conference

Conference22nd Theory of Cryptography Conference, TCC 2024
Country/TerritoryItaly
CityMilan
Period2/12/246/12/24

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Theoretical Computer Science
  • General Computer Science

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