Improved RSA Algorithm Counterparts by Exploiting Implementation Attacks

Abstract

RSA, being the first asymmetric-key algorithm, has caused an evolution in the science of cryptography, becoming one of the most used encrypting algorithms. These outcomes have resulted in the algorithm receiving a vast number of attacks. One type of these attacks, implementation attacks, poses a crucial threat to RSA. Moreover, due to having other algorithms (e.g., Diffie-Hellman key exchange and elliptic curves algorithm) that are formulated nearly similar to RSA, as well as the mechanisms of the implementation attacks, the dangers of these attacks are found in these other algorithms too. Since the popularity of RSA, most of the research, which provides an improved counterpart of the algorithm secured against this attack, is conducted for RSA. This paper examines two of the most known implementation attacks— timing attacks, and fault attacks— analyzing their methodology and investigating methods to counter them. Finally, the paper evaluates the possibility of having an improved variation of RSA that is feasible to be used in the present.