Subject: LUC Public-key Encryption
Newsgroups: sci.crypt
Summary: New public-key algorithm from New Zealand
Keywords: 

The January 1993 issue of Dr. Dobb's Journal has an article by
Peter Smith on a new public-key encryption algorithm called LUC.
This algorithm, based on "Lucas sequences", resembles RSA in
that it involves modular arithmetic based on N, the product of two 
large primes, and a second number, e.

A Lucas sequence, V[i](P,Q), is defined as follows.  P is the message
to encrypt.  Q is an integer that is always set to 1 for our purposes.

   V[0] = 2
   V[1] = P
   V[n+1] = P*V[n] - Q*V[n-1]

The ciphertext P' = V[e](P,1) mod N.  
The plaintext  P  = V[d](P',1) mod N.

The public key component is [N, e].  The secret component is d,
which is computed based on e and the prime factorization of N.

The author, who is also the inventor of the LUC algorithm,
claims that it is at least as fast as RSA and is more secure
because it is more resistant to adaptive chosen-message forgery.

Not surprisingly, the author is attempting to patent the system
and is looking for people to license it to.  A provisional patent
has been obtained.  It is not clear whether this patent applies
to New Zealand or to the United States, or both.

The author's American partner can be contacted as:

   Horace R. Moore
   101 E. Bonita
   Sierra Madre, CA   91024

For more information, see the article.

Mark R.