SBIR/STTR Award attributes
Stottler Henke proposes Secure and Efficient Architecture and Protocol via Ledger based Algorithms on decentralized NEtworks (SEAPLANE). SEAPLANE is a certificate-based authentication system which makes use of a hierarchical certificate authentication model. A node will represent a platform and each node will have a CRYSTALS-Dilithium public-private key pair that will be used when signing and validating certificates, in addition to message key encryption. This solution will also make use of two blockchains, one for certificate authentication and removal and another for messages in order to assist with identification and to ensure immutability. At a high level, all nodes are assigned a certificate from a higher-level authority and added onto the verification blockchain for the awareness of all members. When new nodes wish to join the network, a verification procedure utilizing a zero knowledge proof (ZKP) is run to confirm identity and open a communication channel securely. Once both nodes are authenticated, normal communications can resume using a double encryption technique. Once the connection is established, the transmission can be added to the message blockchain to ensure immutability via a consensus verification procedure. Thus, SEAPLANE is a permissionless, immutable, and decentralized protocol to authenticate users and establish communication channels securely.
