Process for generating an elliptic curve, application in a cryptographic process, and cryptographic process using such a curve

1. A process implemented in a crypto-coprocessor, the process using an elliptic curve represented in a plane by means of an equation containing first and second parameters (a, b), a bilinear pairing, and calculations in a finite group of integers constructed around a first reduction rule reducing each integer to a respective remainder in a whole division by a first prime number (p) that constitutes a third parameter, elements of the finite group being in bijection with points selected on the elliptic curve, and a quantity of which is linked to a fourth parameter (q), the process using public and private keys, each of which is represented by a given point of the elliptic curve or by a multiplication factor between two points of the elliptic curve, the process comprising:

randomly generating a prime number as the fourth parameter (q);

selecting, as a fifth parameter, an integer (d) that complies with constraints that are inherent in a complex multiplication with the form [u+v*root(−d)], where u and v are integers;

randomly generating two extra integers (n, m);

calculating an integer based on the fourth parameter (q), the integer (d) and the two extra integers (n, m);

checking whether the calculated integer is a prime number;

based on a result of the checking of the calculated integer, conditionally adopting the calculated integer as the third parameter (p);

constructing the first and second parameters (a, b) by applying to the third parameter (p) a technique of complex multiplication by [u+v*root(−d)]; and

obtaining the elliptic curve based on the constructed first and second parameters (a, b).

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein

the integer based on the fourth parameter (q), the integer (d) and the two extra integers (n, m) is calculated as follows:

1+2·n·q+q^2·(n^2+d·m^2).

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the fourth parameter (q) is a prime number with at least 160 bits.

4. The process for generating an elliptic curve according to claim 1 , wherein the fifth parameter (d) is selected to be equal to 3, which results in the first parameter (a) being zero.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the elliptic curve matches the equation y^2=x^3+a·x+b.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the crypto-coprocessor is included in a chip card.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process is implemented as an integral part of a “SetUp” algorithm from an “Identity Based Encryption” protocol.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein said first reduction rule is the only reduction rule implemented.

9. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising, if the calculated integer is a prime number according to the result of the checking step, adopting the calculated integer as the third parameter (p).

10. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising, if the calculated integer is not a prime number according to the result of the checking step, newly generating two random integers to replace the integers (n, m) so that a value of at least one of the two extra integers (n, m) is changed ; and

calculating another integer based on the fourth parameter (q); the integer (d) and the replaced integers (n, m).

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the integer (d) is equal to or less than 1,000.