Methods to Encrypt and Authenticate Digital Files in Distributed Networks and Zero-Trust Environments

The methods proposed in this paper are leveraging Challenge–Response–Pair (CRP) mechanisms that directly using each digital file as a source of randomness. Two use cases considered: the protection and verification authenticity information distributed storage nodes files kept terminal devices operating contested zero-trust environments comprised weak signals presence obfuscating electromagnetic noise. With nonces, message digests hashed can be unique unclonable; they act Physical Unclonable Functions (PUF)s challenge–response mechanisms. During enrollment, randomly selected “challenges” result output data known “responses” which enable generation distribution cryptographic keys. cycles, CRP repeated for proof deciphering. One main contributions is development accommodating injection noises to mitigate several vectors attacks, disturbing side channel analysis devices. method distribute error-free keys noisy networks with light computing elements without relying on heavy Error Correcting Codes (ECC), fuzzy extractors, or helpers.