LEAK-RESISTANT CRYPTOGRAPHIC INDEXED KEY UPDATE

Methods and apparatuses for increasing the leak-resistance of cryptographic systems using an indexed key update technique are disclosed. In one embodiment, a cryptographic client device maintains a secret key value as part of its state. The client can update its secret value at any time, for example before each transaction, using an update process that makes partial information that might have previously leaked to attackers about the secret no longer usefully describe the new updated secret value. By repeatedly applying the update process, information leaking during cryptographic operations that is collected by attackers rapidly becomes obsolete. Thus, such a system can remain secure (and in some embodiments is provably secure) against attacks involving analysis of measurements of the device's power consumption, electromagnetic characteristics, or other information leaked during transactions. The present invention can be used in connection with a client and server using such a protocol. To perform a transaction with the client, the server obtains the client's current transaction counter. The server then performs a series of operations to determine the sequence of transformations needed to re-derive the correct session key from the client's initial secret value. These transformations are performed, and the result is used as a transaction session key. The present invention includes a sequence of client-side updating processes that allow for significant improvements in the performance of the corresponding server operations.