Ciarán Mullan, Adva Network Security GmbH, Germany

We propose a novel threshold key storage scheme that relies on biometric fuzzy extractors for the derivation of user keys. This approach builds upon the existing framework of password-protected secret sharing constructions, offering a potential improvement in security and user convenience. Usually in such schemes, users are required to generate and remember passwords, which in practice can introduce vulnerabilities and usability issues. By removing this reliance on traditional passwords, our scheme may enhance the overall security of threshold key storage solutions. Moreover, in situations where password recovery is not a viable option, our mechanism provides a dependable solution for online private key storage, ensuring users can access their keys securely and reliably.

Key management, secret sharing, threshold cryptography, fuzzy extractors.