Abstract
The undecidable word problem for groups and semigroups is investigated as a basis for a public-key cryptosystem. A specific approach is discussed along with the results of an experimental implementation. This approach does not give a provably secure or practical system, but shows the type of cryptosystem that could be constructed around the word problem. This cryptosystem is randomized, with infinitely many ciphertexts corresponding to each plaintext.
This work was supported in part by NSF grant DCR-8403350, and by Drexel University’s Faculty Development Mini-Grant program
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Wagner, N.R., Magyarik, M.R. (1985). A Public-Key Cryptosystem Based on the Word Problem. In: Blakley, G.R., Chaum, D. (eds) Advances in Cryptology. CRYPTO 1984. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 196. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-39568-7_3
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