Toward Criteria for Standardization of Multi-Party Threshold Schemes for Cryptographic Primitives

Presentation at the 2nd Workshop on Advanced Cryptography Applications and Standards

https://sites.google.com/zkproof.org/acas2020/

Abstract. The Threshold Cryptography project at NIST has been exploring the potential for standardization of threshold schemes for NIST-approved cryptographic primitives, such as signing, encryption, decryption and key-generation. The use of the terms “standards” and “standardization” is not intended to imply a goal to develop “Federal Information Processing Standards” publications; the set of results may, for example, also include guidelines and recommendations. The project, as presented in the recent publication NISTIR 8214A, is planned in two tracks: single-device and multi-party. In this talk, focused on the multi-party track, I will give an update of the path being developed by the project, and a vision for its future. The talk will also cover the topic of developing criteria for potential calls for contributions. This also constitutes an invitation for stakeholders to collaborate in the process, in an open and transparent way.