A share [x].sub.i of plaintext x in accordance with Shamir's secret sharing scheme is expressed by N shares [x.sub.0].sub.i, . . . , [x.sub.N1].sub.i, and each share generating device A.sub.i obtains a function value r.sub.i=P.sub.m(i())(s.sub.i) of a seed s.sub.i, obtains a first calculated value .sub.i=(i, i())[x.sub.i()].sub.i+r.sub.i using a Lagrange coefficient (i, i()), a share [x.sub.i()].sub.i, and the function value r.sub.i, and outputs the first calculated value .sub.i to a share generating device A.sub.i(). Each share generating device A.sub.i accepts a second calculated value .sub.i(+), obtains a third calculated value z.sub.i=(i, i(+))[x.sub.i].sub.i+.sub.i(+) using a Lagrange coefficient (i, i(+)), a share [x.sub.i].sub.i, and the second calculated value .sub.i(+), and obtains information containing the seed s.sub.i and the third calculated value z.sub.i as a share SS.sub.i of the plaintext x in secret sharing and outputs the share SS.sub.i.

A method for the interception-proof transmission of at least one cryptographic parameter from a user to an encrypted offline storage medium, comprising steps of: cloaking an upward portion of a substrate with an upper plate, characterized in that said upper plate comprises a multitude of indicia, wherein each indicium has a corresponding manipulation indicator; sequentially positioning a manipulation apparatus over one or more of the manipulation indicators; mechanically manipulating the substrate, after each sequential positioning of the manipulation apparatus, using said manipulation apparatus, characterized in that the manipulation indicator of the desired indicium overlaps with one mechanical manipulation unit of the substrate; and deconstructing said substrate in two or more complementary units, characterized in that said complementary units each comprises at least one mechanical manipulation unit administered by the manipulation apparatus.

A system, method, and computer-readable medium for challenge-response authentication are provided. A plurality of codes is received over a communication network based on input provided by way of a user interface displaying a plurality of images. An alphanumeric string is generated based on the received plurality of codes and based on a table that associates each one of the plurality of codes with a respective one of the plurality of images and with a respective one of a plurality of alphanumeric characters. A determination is made as to whether to grant authorization based on whether the generated alphanumeric string matches an alphanumeric user identifier stored in a memory device in association with a user.

A system, method, and computer-readable medium for challenge-response authentication are provided. A plurality of codes is received over a communication network based on input provided by way of a user interface displaying a plurality of images. An alphanumeric string is generated based on the received plurality of codes and based on a table that associates each one of the plurality of codes with a respective one of the plurality of images and with a respective one of a plurality of alphanumeric characters. A determination is made as to whether to grant authorization based on whether the generated alphanumeric string matches an alphanumeric user identifier stored in a memory device in association with a user.

Disclosed are a method and apparatus for remembering passwords with the least amount of memory, overcoming the disadvantage that previously, passwords or fixed codes, such as credit card numbers, were inconvenient to record and difficult to remember. People's long-term memories regarding ethnic characters, letters, digits and patterns are used; one or two of the above are selected to intersect with blank units or information code matrices, the contents of which can be changed by characters to be set, so as to obtain coincident points and non-coincident points; according to the step of reading information thereabout as specified or according to the steps of filling in, confusing and re-finding fixed codes, passwords or the fixed codes are obtained; regarding a mechanical apparatus, a key, on which an imprint is left by means of pressing a character, can be expanded into long chains, two chains are matched to obtain more logic states, and a plurality of passwords are obtained by means of reading and segmentation as specified; regarding an electronic-type apparatus, three three-colour light-emitting diodes are connected to symmetrical switch buttons to form a matrix template; digits, capital letters and small letters and symbols to be set printed on the template are displayed; according to light colours of the light-emitting diodes and whether same are in a light-emitting state, information codes are arranged as specified; and a canonical character model ensures that the passwords or the fixed codes obtained every time are the same as those set before.

Disclosed are a method and apparatus for remembering passwords with the least amount of memory, overcoming the disadvantage that previously, passwords or fixed codes, such as credit card numbers, were inconvenient to record and difficult to remember. People's long-term memories regarding ethnic characters, letters, digits and patterns are used; one or two of the above are selected to intersect with blank units or information code matrices, the contents of which can be changed by characters to be set, so as to obtain coincident points and non-coincident points; according to the step of reading information thereabout as specified or according to the steps of filling in, confusing and re-finding fixed codes, passwords or the fixed codes are obtained; regarding a mechanical apparatus, a key, on which an imprint is left by means of pressing a character, can be expanded into long chains, two chains are matched to obtain more logic states, and a plurality of passwords are obtained by means of reading and segmentation as specified; regarding an electronic-type apparatus, three three-colour light-emitting diodes are connected to symmetrical switch buttons to form a matrix template; digits, capital letters and small letters and symbols to be set printed on the template are displayed; according to light colours of the light-emitting diodes and whether same are in a light-emitting state, information codes are arranged as specified; and a canonical character model ensures that the passwords or the fixed codes obtained every time are the same as those set before.

A virtual enigma cipher system is described herein that allows for symmetric encryption and decryption of data. During encryption, a plurality of wheels representing sequences of data are used to encrypt a message. The plurality of wheels includes at least one dynamic wheel, which is generated based on a password, and a plurality of static wheels. During encryption, the unencrypted message is iterated from beginning to end. During each step of iteration, the encrypted payload value for a particular position is determined by performing an exclusive or (XOR) operation between the value of the unencrypted message at the position, and the values of the wheels at their respective wheel pointer positions. The particular position is then incremented, as are the wheel pointer positions, and iteration continues until the entire unencrypted message has been encrypted as part of the encrypted payload. Padding data and the message length are appended to the encrypted payload. During decryption, the steps are reversed.

A virtual enigma cipher system is described herein that allows for symmetric encryption and decryption of data. During encryption, a plurality of wheels representing sequences of data are used to encrypt a message. The plurality of wheels includes at least one dynamic wheel, which is generated based on a password, and a plurality of static wheels. During encryption, the unencrypted message is iterated from beginning to end. During each step of iteration, the encrypted payload value for a particular position is determined by performing an exclusive or (XOR) operation between the value of the unencrypted message at the position, and the values of the wheels at their respective wheel pointer positions. The particular position is then incremented, as are the wheel pointer positions, and iteration continues until the entire unencrypted message has been encrypted as part of the encrypted payload. Padding data and the message length are appended to the encrypted payload. During decryption, the steps are reversed.

A virtual enigma cipher system is described herein that allows for symmetric encryption and decryption of data. During encryption, a plurality of wheels representing sequences of data are used to encrypt a message. The plurality of wheels includes at least one dynamic wheel, which is generated based on a password, and a plurality of static wheels. During encryption, the unencrypted message is iterated from beginning to end. During each step of iteration, the encrypted payload value for a particular position is determined by performing an exclusive or (XOR) operation between the value of the unencrypted message at the position, and the values of the wheels at their respective wheel pointer positions. The particular position is then incremented, as are the wheel pointer positions, and iteration continues until the entire unencrypted message has been encrypted as part of the encrypted payload. Padding data and the message length are appended to the encrypted payload. During decryption, the steps are reversed.

A cipher processing configuration, of which the resistance against various attacks is improved, having a high security level is realized. In a cipher processing configuration in which a nonlinear transformation process and a linear transformation process are repeatedly performed for state data formed from a plurality of elements, a linear transformation unit performs a matrix operation applying a quasi-MDS matrix and a substitution process. As the substitution process, a substitution process is performed which satisfies the following (Condition 1) and (Condition A). (Condition 1) According to the substitution process of the substitution unit for the input X, each column element of the output Y is configured by elements of four mutually-different columns of the input X (Condition A) In a case where the substitution process performed by the substitution unit for the input X is repeatedly performed continuously twice, each column element of the output Y is configured by elements of three or more mutually-different columns of the input X.