Module 3
Module 3
For given values of a and b, the plot consists of positive and negative
values of y for each value of x.
Thus, each curve is symmetric about y = 0.
Figure: Example of Elliptic Curve E(-1, 0)
Figure: Example of Elliptic Curves E(1, 1)
GEOMETRIC DESCRIPTION OF ADDITION
A group can be defined based on the set E(a, b) for specific
values of a and b in Equation 1, provided the following condition
is met:
------- (2)
To define the group, we must define an operation, called
addition and denoted by +, for the set E(a, b), where a and b
satisfy Equation (2)
The rules for addition can be stated as follows: If three points on
an elliptic curve lie on a straight line, their sum is O.
From this definition, we can define the rules of addition
over an elliptic curve.
1. O serves as the additive identity. Thus O = -O; for any
point P on the elliptic curve, P + O = P. In what follows, we
assume P ≠ O and Q ≠ O.
2. The negative of a point P is the point with the same x
coordinate but the negative of the y coordinate;
that is, if P = (x, y), then -P = (x, -y). Note that these two
points can be joined by a vertical line. Note that P + (-P) =
P - P = O.
3. To add two points P and Q with different x coordinates,
draw a straight line between them and find the third point
of intersection R.
To form a group structure, we need to define addition on these
three points: P + Q = -R. That is, we define P + Q to be the mirror
image (with respect to the x axis) of the third point of
intersection.
4. The geometric interpretation of the preceding item also
applies to two points, P and -P, with the same x coordinate. The
points are joined by a vertical line, which can be viewed as also
intersecting the curve at the infinity point. We therefore have P +
(-P) = O.
5. To double a point Q, draw the tangent line and find the other
point of intersection S. Then Q + Q = 2Q = -S.
ALGEBRAIC DESCRIPTION OF ADDITION
For two distinct points, P = (xP, yP) and Q = (xQ, yQ), that are not
negatives of each other, the slope of the line l that joins them is Δ
= (yQ - yP)/(xQ - xP).
There is exactly one other point where l intersects the elliptic
curve, and that is the negative of the sum of P and Q.
We can express the sum R = P + Q as
xR = Δ2 - xP – xQ ----(3)
yR = -yP + Δ(xP - xR)
We also need to be able to add a point to itself: P + P = 2P = R.
When yP ≠ 0, the expressions are
---(4)
Elliptic Curves over Zp
Elliptic curve cryptography makes use of elliptic curves in which
the variables and coefficients are all restricted to elements of a
finite field.
Two families of elliptic curves are used in cryptographic
applications: prime curves over Zp and binary curves over GF(2m).
For a prime curve over Zp, we use a cubic equation in which the
variables and coefficients all take on values in the set of integers
from 0 through p - 1 and in which calculations are performed
modulo p.
For a binary curve defined over GF(2m), the variables and
coefficients all take on values in GF(2m) and in calculations are
performed over GF(2m).
For elliptic curves over Zp, as with real numbers, we limit
ourselves to equations of the form of Equation (1), but in this
case with coefficients and variables limited to Zp:
y2mod p = (x3 + ax + b) mod p ------(5)
For example, if a = 1, b = 1, x = 9, y = 7, p = 23:
72 mod 23 = (93 + 9 + 1) mod 23
49 mod 23 = 739 mod 23
3=3
Consider the set Ep(a, b) consisting of all pairs of integers (x, y) that
satisfy Equation 5, together with a point at infinity O.
The coefficients a and b and the variables x and y are all elements of
Zp.
For example, let p = 23 and consider the elliptic curve y2 = x3 + x + 1.
In this case, a = b = 1.