Files
serai/crypto/transcript
Luke Parker 90bc364f9f Replace Ciphersuite::hash_to_F
The prior-present `Ciphersuite::hash_to_F` was a sin. Implementations took a
DST, yet were not require to securely handle it. It was also biased towards the
requirements of `modular-frost` as `ciphersuite` was originally written all
those years ago, when `modular-frost` had needs exceeding what `ff`, `group`
satisfied.

Now, the hash is bound to produce an output which can be converted to a scalar
with `ff::FromUniformBytes`. A new `hash_to_F`, which accepts a single argument
of the value to hash (removing the potential to insecurely handle the DST by
removing the DST entirely). Due to `digest` yielding a `GenericArray`, yet
`FromUniformBytes` taking a `const usize`, the `ciphersuite` crate now defines
a `FromUniformBytes` trait taking an array (then implemented for all satisfiers
of `ff::FromUniformBytes`). In order to get the array type from the
`GenericArray`, the output of the hash, `digest` is updated to the `0.11`
release candidate which moves to `flexible-array` which solves that problem.

The existing, specific `hash_to_F` functions have been moved to `modular-frost`
as necessary.

`flexible-array` itself is patched to a fork due to
https://github.com/RustCrypto/hybrid-array/issues/131.
2025-08-29 05:21:43 -04:00
..
2025-08-29 05:21:43 -04:00
2025-08-29 05:21:43 -04:00
2025-08-25 10:06:35 -04:00
2024-06-01 21:46:49 -04:00

Flexible Transcript

Flexible Transcript is a crate offering:

  • Transcript, a trait offering functions transcripts should implement.
  • DigestTranscript, a competent transcript format instantiated against a provided hash function.
  • MerlinTranscript, a wrapper of merlin into the trait (available via the merlin feature).
  • RecommendedTranscript, a transcript recommended for usage in applications. Currently, this is DigestTranscript<Blake2b512> (available via the recommended feature).

The trait was created while working on an IETF draft which defined an incredibly simple transcript format. Extensions of the protocol would quickly require a more competent format, yet implementing the one specified was mandatory to meet the specification. Accordingly, the library implementing the draft defined an IetfTranscript, dropping labels and not allowing successive challenges, yet thanks to the trait, allowed protocols building on top to provide their own transcript format as needed.

DigestTranscript takes in any hash function implementing Digest, offering a secure transcript format around it. All items are prefixed by a flag, denoting their type, and their length.

MerlinTranscript was used to justify the API, and if any issues existed with DigestTranscript, enable a fallback. It was also meant as a way to be compatible with existing Rust projects using merlin.

This library was audited by Cypher Stack in March 2023, culminating in commit 669d2dbffc1dafb82a09d9419ea182667115df06. Any subsequent changes have not undergone auditing.

This library is usable under no_std.