=================================== Post-Quantum Crypto Protocols =================================== Author: zzz Created: 2025-01-21 Thread: http://zzz.i2p/topics/3294 Last updated: 2025-01-21 Status: Open Target: 0.9.80 Overview ======== While research and competition for suitable post-quantum (PQ) cryptography has been proceeding for a decade, the choices have not become clear until recently. We started looking at the implications of PQ crypto in 2022 [FORUM]. SSL added hybrid encryption support in the last two years and it now is used for a significant portion of encrypted traffic on the internet [CLOUDFLARE]. NIST recently finalized and published the recommended algorithms for post-quantum cryptography [NIST-PQ]. Both [CLOUDFLARE] and [NIST-PQ] recommend that migration start immediately. See also the 2022 NSA PQ FAQ [NSA-PQ]. I2P should be a leader in security and cryptography. Now is the time to implement the recommended algorithms. Using our flexible crypto type and signature type system, we will add types for hybrid crypto, and for PQ and hybrid signatures. Goals ===== - Select PQ-resistant algorithms - Add PQ-only and hybrid algorithms to I2P protocols where appropriate - Select best variants after implementation, testing, analysis, and research - Add support incrementally and with backward compatibility Non-Goals ========= TBD Design ====== We will support the NIST FIPS 203 and 204 standards [FIPS203] [FIPS204] which are based on, but NOT compatible with, CRYSTALS-Kyber and CRYSTALS-Dilithium (versions 3.1, 3, and older). Key Exchange ------------- We will support key exchange in the following protocols: ======= ========== ============== =============== Proto Noise Type Support PQ? Support Hybrid? ======= ========== ============== =============== NTCP2 XK no yes SSU2 XK no yes Ratchet IK no yes TBM N no no NetDB N no no ======= ========== ============== =============== PQ KEM provides ephemeral keys only, and does not directly support static-key handshakes such as Noise XK and IK. While there is some recent research [PQ-WIREGUARD] on adapting Wireguard (IK) for pure PQ crypto, there are several open questions, and this approach is unproven. Noise N does not use a two-way key exchange and so it is not suitable for hybrid encryption. So we will support hybrid encryption only, for NTCP2, SSU2, and Ratchet. We will define the three ML-KEM variants as in [FIPS203], for 3 new encryption types total. Hybrid types will only be defined in combination with X25519. Overhead will be substantial. Typical message 1 and 2 sizes (for XK and IK) are currently around 100 bytes (before any additional payload). This will increase by 8x to 15x depending on algorithm. Signatures ----------- We will support PQ and hybrid signatures in the following structures: ========================== ============== =============== Type Support PQ? Support Hybrid? ========================== ============== =============== RouterInfo yes yes LeaseSet yes yes Streaming SYN/SYNACK/Close yes yes Repliable Datagrams yes yes I2CP create session msg yes yes SU3 files yes yes X.509 certificates yes yes Java keystores yes yes ========================== ============== =============== So we will support both PQ-only and hybrid signatures. We will define the three ML-DSA variants as in [FIPS204], for 6 new signature types total. Hybrid types will only be defined in combination with Ed25519. We will use the standard ML-DSA, NOT the pre-hash variants (HashML-DSA). X.509 certificates and other DER encodings will use the composite structures and OIDs defined in [COMPOSITE-SIGS]. Overhead will be substantial. Typical Ed25519 destination and router identity sizes are 391 bytes. These will increase by 3.5x to 6.8x depending on algorithm. Ed25519 signatures are 64 bytes. These will increase by 38x to 76x depending on algorithm. Typical signed RouterInfo, LeaseSet, repliable datagrams, and signed streaming messages are about 1KB. These will increase by 3x to 8x depending on algorithm. As the new destination and router identity types will not contain padding, they will not be compressible. Sizes of destinations and router identities that are gzipped in-transit will increase by 12x - 38x depending on algorithm. TODO: Add RSA4096 hybrid types for su3? New Crypto Required ------------------- - ML-KEM (formerly CRYSTALS-Kyber) [FIPS203] - ML-DSA (formerly CRYSTALS-Dilithium) [FIPS204] - SHA3-128 (formerly Keccak-256) [FIPS202] - SHA3-256 (formerly Keccak-512) [FIPS202] - SHAKE128 and SHAKE256 (XOF extensions to SHA3-128 and SHA3-256) [FIPS202] Alternatives ------------- We will not support [FIPS205] (Sphincs+), it is much much slower and bigger than ML-DSA. We will not support the upcoming FIPS206 (Falcon), it is not yet standardized. Specification ============= Common Structures ----------------- PublicKey ```````````````` ================ ================= ====== ===== Type Public Key Length Since Usage ================ ================= ====== ===== MLKEM512_X25519 32 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for Leasesets only, not for RIs or Destinations MLKEM768_X25519 32 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for Leasesets only, not for RIs or Destinations MLKEM1024_X25519 32 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for Leasesets only, not for RIs or Destinations MLKEM512 800 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for handshakes only, not for Leasesets, RIs or Destinations MLKEM768 1184 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for handshakes only, not for Leasesets, RIs or Destinations MLKEM1024 1568 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for handshakes only, not for Leasesets, RIs or Destinations NULL 0 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for destinations with PQ sig types only, not for RIs or Leasesets ================ ================= ====== ===== Hybrid public keys are the X25519 key. KEM public keys are the ephemeral PQ key sent from Alice to Bob. PrivateKey ```````````````` ================ ================== ====== ===== Type Private Key Length Since Usage ================ ================== ====== ===== MLKEM512_X25519 32 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for Leasesets only, not for RIs or Destinations MLKEM768_X25519 32 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for Leasesets only, not for RIs or Destinations MLKEM1024_X25519 32 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for Leasesets only, not for RIs or Destinations MLKEM512 1632 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for handshakes only, not for Leasesets, RIs or Destinations MLKEM768 2400 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for handshakes only, not for Leasesets, RIs or Destinations MLKEM1024 3168 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for handshakes only, not for Leasesets, RIs or Destinations NULL 0 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for destinations with PQ sig types only, not for RIs or Leasesets ================ ================== ====== ===== Hybrid private keys are the X25519 key followed by the PQ key. KEM private keys are the ciphertext sent from Bob to Alice. SigningPublicKey ```````````````` ============================ ============== ====== ===== Type Length (bytes) Since Usage ============================ ============== ====== ===== MLDSA44_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 1344 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA65_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 1984 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA87_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 2616 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA44 1312 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA65 1952 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA87 2592 0.9.xx See proposal 169 ============================ ============== ====== ===== Hybrid signing public keys are the Ed25519 key followed by the PQ key. SigningPrivateKey ````````````````` ============================ ============== ====== ===== Type Length (bytes) Since Usage ============================ ============== ====== ===== MLDSA44_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 2592 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA65_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 4064 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA87_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 4928 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA44 2560 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA65 4032 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA87 4896 0.9.xx See proposal 169 ============================ ============== ====== ===== Hybrid signing private keys are the Ed25519 key followed by the PQ key. Signature `````````` ============================ ============== ====== ===== Type Length (bytes) Since Usage ============================ ============== ====== ===== MLDSA44_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 2484 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA65_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 4096 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA87_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 4960 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA44 2420 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA65 4032 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA87 4896 0.9.xx See proposal 169 ============================ ============== ====== ===== Hybrid signatures are the Ed25519 signature followed by the PQ signature. Hybrid signatures are verified by verifying both signatures, and failing if either one fails. Key Certificates ```````````````` The defined Signing Public Key types are: ============================ =========== ======================= ====== ===== Type Type Code Total Public Key Length Since Usage ============================ =========== ======================= ====== ===== MLDSA44_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 12 1344 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA65_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 13 1984 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA87_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 14 2616 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA44 15 1312 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA65 16 1952 0.9.xx See proposal 169 MLDSA87 17 2592 0.9.xx See proposal 169 ============================ =========== ======================= ====== ===== The defined Crypto Public Key types are: ================ =========== ======================= ====== ===== Type Type Code Total Public Key Length Since Usage ================ =========== ======================= ====== ===== MLKEM512_X25519 5 32 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for Leasesets only, not for RIs or Destinations MLKEM768_X25519 6 32 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for Leasesets only, not for RIs or Destinations MLKEM1024_X25519 7 32 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for Leasesets only, not for RIs or Destinations NULL 255 0 0.9.xx See proposal 169, for destinations with PQ sig types only, not for RIs or Leasesets ================ =========== ======================= ====== ===== Hybrid key types are NEVER included in key certificates; only in leasesets. The NULL key type is ONLY for destinations or router identities with Hybrid or PQ signature types. Never in leasesets. This is used to indicate to KeysAndCert parsers that there is no crypto key, and the entire 384-byte main section is for the signing key. Destination sizes `````````````````` Here are lengths for the new Destination types. Enc type for all is NULL (255). The entire 384-byte section is used for the first part of the signing public key. No padding. Total length is 7 + total key length. Key certificate length is 4 + excess key length. Example 1319-byte destination byte stream for MLDSA44: skey[0:383] 5 (932 >> 8) (932 & 0xff) 00 12 00 255 skey[384:1311] ============================ =========== ======================= ====== ====== ===== Type Type Code Total Public Key Length Main Excess Total Dest Length ============================ =========== ======================= ====== ====== ===== MLDSA44_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 12 1344 384 960 1351 MLDSA65_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 13 1984 384 1600 1991 MLDSA87_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 14 2616 384 2648 2623 MLDSA44 15 1312 384 928 1319 MLDSA65 16 1952 384 1568 1959 MLDSA87 17 2592 384 2208 2599 ============================ =========== ======================= ====== ====== ===== RouterIdent sizes `````````````````` Here are lengths for the new Destination types. Enc type for all is X25519 (4). The entire 352-byte section after the X28819 public key is used for the first part of the signing public key. No padding. Total length is 39 + total key length. Key certificate length is 4 + excess key length. Example 1351-byte router identity byte stream for MLDSA44: enckey[0:31] skey[0:351] 5 (960 >> 8) (960 & 0xff) 00 12 00 4 skey[352:1311] ============================ =========== ======================= ====== ====== ===== Type Type Code Total Public Key Length Main Excess Total RouterIdent Length ============================ =========== ======================= ====== ====== ===== MLDSA44_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 12 1344 352 992 1383 MLDSA65_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 13 1984 352 1632 2023 MLDSA87_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 14 2616 352 2660 2655 MLDSA44 15 1312 352 960 1351 MLDSA65 16 1952 352 1600 1991 MLDSA87 17 2592 352 2240 2631 ============================ =========== ======================= ====== ====== ===== Handshake Patterns ------------------ Handshakes use [Noise] handshake patterns. The following letter mapping is used: - e = one-time ephemeral key - s = static key - p = message payload - e1 = one-time ephemeral PQ key, sent from Alice to Bob - ekem1 = the KEM ciphertext, sent from Bob to Alice The following modifications to XK and IK for hybrid forward secrecy (hfs) are: XK: XKhfs: <- s <- s ... ... -> e, es, p -> e, es, e1, p <- e, ee, p <- e, ee, ekem1, p -> s, se -> s, se <- p <- p p -> p -> e1 is encrypted together with the message 1 payload p ekem1 is encrypted together with the message 2 payload p IK: IKhfs: <- s <- s ... ... -> e, es, s, ss, p -> e, es, e1, s, ss, p <- tag, e, ee, se, p <- tag, e, ee, ekem1, se, p <- p <- p p -> p -> e1 is encrypted together with the message 1 alice static key s ekem1 is encrypted with the message 2 ee DH result state FIXME Noise Handshake KDF --------------------- The KEM 32-byte shared secret is combined or mixHash()ed or HKDF()ed into the final Noise shared secret, before split(), for a final 32-byte shared secret. Not concatenated with the DH shared secret for a 64-byte final shared secret, which is what TLS does [TLS-HYBRID]. Ratchet --------- Noise identifiers: - "Noise_IKhfselg2_25519+MLKEM512_ChaChaPoly_SHA256" - "Noise_IKhfselg2_25519+MLKEM768_ChaChaPoly_SHA256" - "Noise_IKhfselg2_25519+MLKEM1024_ChaChaPoly_SHA256" Details TODO NTCP2 ------ Noise identifiers: - "Noise_XKhfsaesobfse+hs2+hs3_25519+MLKEM512_ChaChaPoly_SHA256" - "Noise_XKhfsaesobfse+hs2+hs3_25519+MLKEM768_ChaChaPoly_SHA256" - "Noise_XKhfsaesobfse+hs2+hs3_25519+MLKEM1024_ChaChaPoly_SHA256" Details TODO SSU2 ---- Noise identifiers: - "Noise_XKhfschaobfse+hs1+hs2+hs3_25519+MLKEM512_ChaChaPoly_SHA256" - "Noise_XKhfschaobfse+hs1+hs2+hs3_25519+MLKEM768_ChaChaPoly_SHA256" - "Noise_XKhfschaobfse+hs1+hs2+hs3_25519+MLKEM1024_ChaChaPoly_SHA256" Details TODO Issues: For messages 1 and 2, MLKEM768 would increase packet sizes close to or beyond the 1280 minimum MTU. Probably would just not support it for that connection if the MTU was too low. For messages 1 and 2, MLKEM1024 would increase packet sizes beyond 1500 maximum MTU. This would require fragmenting messages 1 and 2, and it would be a big complication. Probably won't do it. Other Specs ----------- The new maximum Destination size will be 2599 (3468 in base 64). Update other documents that give guidance on Destination sizes, including: - SAMv3 - Bittorrent - Developer guidelines - Naming / addressbook / jump servers - Other docs Overhead Analysis ================= Key Exchange ------------- Size increase (bytes): ================ ============== ============= Type Pubkey (Msg 1) Cipertext (Msg 2) ================ ============== ============= MLKEM512_X25519 +800 +768 MLKEM768_X25519 +1184 +1088 MLKEM1024_X25519 +1568 +1568 ================ ============== ============= Speed: ================ ============== Type Relative speed ================ ============== X25519 DH/keygen baseline MLKEM512 2.25x faster MLKEM768 1.5x faster MLKEM1024 1x (same) XK 4x DH (keygen + 3 DH) MLKEM512_X25519 4x DH + 2x PQ (keygen + enc/dec) = 4.9x DH = 22% slower MLKEM768_X25519 4x DH + 2x PQ (keygen + enc/dec) = 5.3x DH = 32% slower MLKEM1024_X25519 4x DH + 2x PQ (keygen + enc/dec) = 6x DH = 50% slower ================ ============== Speeds as reported by [CLOUDFLARE]. Signatures ----------- Size: Typical key, sig, RIdent, Dest sizes or size increases (Ed25519 included for reference) assuming X25519 encryption type for RIs. Added size for a Router Info, LeaseSet, repliable datagrams, and each of the two streaming (SYN and SYN ACK) packets listed. Current Destinations and Leasesets contain repeated padding and are compressible in-transit. New types do not contain padding and will not be compressible, resulting in a much higher size increase in-transit. See design section above. ============================ ======= ==== ======= ====== ====== ======== ===== Type Pubkey Sig Key+Sig RIdent Dest RInfo LS/Streaming/Datagram (each msg) ============================ ======= ==== ======= ====== ====== ======== ===== EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 32 64 96 391 391 baseline baseline MLDSA44_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 1344 2484 3828 1383 1351 +3412 +3380 MLDSA65_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 1984 4096 5357 2023 1991 +5668 +5632 MLDSA87_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 2616 4960 7315 2655 2673 +7160 +7128 MLDSA44 1312 2420 3732 1351 1319 +3316 +3284 MLDSA65 1952 4032 5261 1991 1959 +5668 +5636 MLDSA87 2592 4896 7219 2631 2599 +7072 +7040 ============================ ======= ==== ======= ====== ====== ======== ===== Speed: ==================== =================== ====== Type Relative speed sign verify ==================== =================== ====== EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 baseline baseline MLDSA44 5x slower 2x faster MLDSA65 ??? ??? MLDSA87 ??? ??? ==================== =================== ====== Speeds as reported by [CLOUDFLARE]. Security Analysis ================= Handshakes ---------- Probably need to prefer MLKEM768; MLKEM512 is not secure enough. Signatures ---------- MLDSA44 hybrid is preferable to MLDSA65 PQ-only. The keys and sig sizes for MLDSA65 and MLDSA87 are probably too big for us, at least at first. Type Preferences ================= While we will define and implement 3 crypto and 6 signature types, we plan to measure performance during development, and further analyze the effects of increased structure sizes. We will also continue to research and monitor developments in other projects and protocols. After a year or more of development we will attempt to settle on a preferred type or default for each use case. Selection will require making tradeoffs of bandwidth, CPU, and estimated security level. All types may not be suitable or allowed for all use cases. Preliminary preferences are as follows, subject to change: Encryption: MLKEM768_X25519 Signatures: MLDSA44_EdDSA_SHA512_Ed25519 Preliminary restrictions are as follows, subject to change: Encryption: MLKEM1024_X25519 not allowed for SSU2 Signatures: MLDSA87 and hybrid variant probably too large; MLDSA65 and hybrid variant may be too large Implementation Notes ===================== Reliability ----------- Size increase will result in much more tunnel fragmentation for NetDB stores, streaming handshakes, and other messages. Check for performance and reliability changes. Structure Sizes --------------- Find and check any code that limits the byte size of router infos and leasesets. NetDB ----- Review and possibly reduce maximum LS/RI stored in RAM or on disk, to limit storage increase. Increase minimum bandwidth requirements for floodfills? Ratchet -------- Auto-classify/detect on same tunnels? If not, destinations would be hybrid-only, no support for regular ratchet. TODO NTCP2 ----- Need different transport address/port, would be hard to run both on the same port, we have no header or flags for message 1, it is fixed size (before padding). So probably a protocol name such as "PQTCP". TODO SSU2 ----- MAY Need different transport address/port, but hopefully not, we have a header with flags for message 1. Maybe just v=2,3 in the address would be sufficient. But we need identifiers for all 3 new flavors: 3a, 3b, 3c? Check and verify that SSU2 can handle the RI fragmented across multiple packets (6-8?) TODO Compatibility =============== TODO Priorities and Rollout ====================== The most valuable data are the end-to-end traffic, encrypted with ratchet. As an external observer between tunnel hops, that's encrypted twice more, with tunnel encryption and transport encryption. As an external observer between OBEP and IBGW, it's encrypted only once more, with transport encryption. As a OBEP or IBGW participant, ratchet is the only encryption. The most worrisome PQ threat model right now is storing traffic today, for decryption many many years from now. A hybrid approach would protect that. The PQ threat model of breaking the authentication keys in some reasonable period of time (say a few months) and then impersonating the authentication or decrypting in almost-real-time, is much farther off? And that's when we'd want to migrate to PQC static keys. So, the earliest PQ threat model is OBEP/IBGW storing traffic for later decryption. We should implement hybrid ratchet first. Ratchet is the highest priority. Transports are next. Signatures are the lowest priority. ====================== ==== Milestone Target ====================== ==== Ratchet beta Late 2025 Select best enc type Early 2026 NTCP2 beta Early 2026 SSU2 beta Mid 2026 Ratchet production Mid 2026 Ratchet default Late 2026 Signature beta Late 2026 NTCP2 production Late 2026 SSU2 production Early 2027 Select best sig type Early 2027 NTCP2 default Early 2027 SSU2 default Mid 2027 Signature production Mid 2027 ====================== ==== Migration ========= If we can't support both old and new ratchet protocols on the same tunnels, migration will be much more difficult. TODO Issues ========= TODO References ========== [CLOUDFLARE] https://blog.cloudflare.com/pq-2024/ [COMPOSITE-SIGS] https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-lamps-pq-composite-sigs/ [FORUM] http://zzz.i2p/topics/3294 [FIPS202] https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/FIPS/NIST.FIPS.202.pdf [FIPS203] https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/FIPS/NIST.FIPS.203.pdf [FIPS204] https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/FIPS/NIST.FIPS.204.pdf [FIPS205] https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/FIPS/NIST.FIPS.205.pdf [NIST-PQ] https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2024/08/nist-releases-first-3-finalized-post-quantum-encryption-standards [Noise] https://noiseprotocol.org/noise.html [Noise-Hybrid] https://github.com/noiseprotocol/noise_hfs_spec/blob/master/output/noise_hfs.pdf [NSA-PQ] https://media.defense.gov/2022/Sep/07/2003071836/-1/-1/0/CSI_CNSA_2.0_FAQ\_.PDF [PQ-WIREGUARD] https://eprint.iacr.org/2020/379.pdf [TLS-HYBRID] https://www.ietf.org/archive/id/draft-tls-westerbaan-xyber768d00-03.html