ID-based authentication scheme combined with identity-based encryption with fingerprint hashing

Current identity-based (ID) cryptosystem lacks the mechanisms of two-party authentication and user's private key distribution. Some ID-based signcryption schemes and ID-based authenticated key agreement protocols have been presented, but they cannot solve the problem completely. A novel ID-based authentication scheme based on ID-based encryption (IBE) and fingerprint hashing method is proposed to solve the difficulties in the IBE scheme, which includes message receiver authenticating the sender, the trusted authority (TA) authenticating the users and transmitting the private key to them. Furthermore, the scheme extends the application of fingerprint authentication from terminal to network and protects against fingerprint data fabrication. The fingerprint authentication method consists of two factors. This method combines a token key, for example, the USB key, with the user's fingerprint hash by mixing a pseudo-random number with the fingerprint feature. The security and experimental efficiency meet the requirements of practical applications. © 2008 The Journal of China Universities of Posts and Telecommunications.