A new electronic traveler’s check scheme based on one-way hash function

Abstract

Nowadays, electronic commerce is booming on the Internet and becoming more popular. Many kinds of electronic services have been developed. The most successful are the electronic payment systems such as the electronic cash/check and wallet. Most electronic payment systems are based on an elaborate discrete logarithm that raises an important issue regarding efficiency. Therefore, Hsien et al. proposed an electronic traveler’s check system in 2001 using a discrete logarithm. In this paper, we propose a new electronic traveler’s check system based on one-way hash function to improve efficiency and cost. Furthermore, our proposed scheme supports an on-line and off-line electronic traveler’s check system of practical flexibility for use in the real world.

Introduction

Because of booming development of the Internet, many services and applications have been generated. Of these, electronic payment would be the one that most people know. In much of the previous research [1], [2], [8], [11], [12], [16], most have focused on payment by electronic cash [10] and the electronic check [3], [5], [7], [9], [13], [14], because cash and checks are practical tools we use in our lives. These proposed schemes, like the traditional cash and check, have characteristics such as anonymity, transference and convenience. But there is still the problem that, if the cash owner or the check owner loses his money, these schemes are responsible for the loss. At this time, the electronic check [3], [5], [7], [9], [14] could be used to resolve this situation. One advantage of these schemes is that the electronic check needs both the bank’s and the owner’s signatures to validate or invalidate it and protect the rights of the owner. Therefore, it would be better if there were a new payment scheme that combines the characteristics both the electronic cash [10] and the electronic check [3], [5], [7], [9], [14]. The electronic traveler’s check [7], [14] includes the characteristics both of them. It is one kind of valuable currency and needs the signature of the owner. Thus, the electronic traveler’s check is more secure than cash. When an electronic check has been lost, the owner only need report the loss and apply for the issuance a new one. This will decrease the risks of loss, because the electronic traveler’s check has both the characteristics of electronic cash and the electronic check. Thus, a new, secure and practical scheme for the electronic traveler’s check will be proposed herein.

In review of older electronic payment schemes [1], [2], [8], [11], [12], [16], all the secure schemes so far are based on elaborate discrete logarithms. And most of the signatures for the electronic check [7], [14] are based on the digital signature of ElGamal [6]. There are also some studies that use exponentional operations and one-way hash functions [10], [15] for electronic cash [10]. In this study, our proposed scheme has the characteristics, both of the electronic check and electronic cash, and more efficiency than the scheme Hsien et al. proposed [7]. Furthermore, our proposed scheme offers support on-line and off-line. A new, secure and efficient scheme with a one-way hash function is proposed in this paper for the electronic traveler’s check.

In Section 2 of this paper, the security requirements for the electronic traveler’s check will be described. Section 3 shows Hsien et al.’s scheme [7]. In Sections 4 Our proposed on-line scheme, 5 Our proposed off-line scheme, our new scheme for the electronic traveler’s check is proposed that includes two sections: an on-line scheme and an off-line scheme. Section 6 is the analysis of the scheme’s overall security and efficiency. Section 7 is the conclusion of this paper.