Applications of List Decoding to Tracing Traitors

Authors

Alice Silverberg, The Ohio State UniversityFollow
Jessica Staddon, Palo Alto Research Center Inc.
Judy L. Walker, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

5-2003

Citation

Published in IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, vol 49, iss 5 (May 2003 ), pp 1312-1318

DOI: 10.1109/TIT.2003.810630

Comments

A version of this paper appeared in ASIACRYPT 2001.

Copyright 2003 IEEE. Used by permission.

Abstract

We apply results from algebraic coding theory to solve problems in cryptography, by using recent results on list decoding of error-correcting codes to efficiently find traitors who collude to create pirates. We produce schemes for which the TA (traceability) traitor tracing algorithm is very fast. We compare the TA and IPP (identifiable parent property) traitor tracing algorithms, and give evidence that when using an algebraic structure, the ability to trace traitors with the IPP algorithm implies the ability to trace with the TA algorithm. We also demonstrate that list decoding techniques can be used to find all possible pirate coalitions. Finally, we raise some related open questions about linear codes, and suggest uses for other decoding techniques in the presence of additional information about traitor behavior.