Abstract: A system and method for an unconditionally secure protocol to create identical pads or keys between two parties communicating over any network is provided. The protocol is composed of three parts, as follows. Firstly, the two parties generate an initial correlated string Ka, Kb by simultaneously observing common physical phenomena such as a satellite signal or recording round trip timing of messages being rallied back and forth, etc. Secondly, the two parties engage in Information Consolidation and Reconciliation in order to reconcile differences. Finally, Privacy Amplification is used to cancel any information that an eavesdropper may have acquired and to produce the key or pad. This key agreement protocol creates unconditionally secure cryptography with a symmetric key cryptosystem. Alternatively, the symmetric keys can be used as a one-time pad with unconditional security.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for constructing a hash function are provided such that an input string is mapped to an output string, the hash function being based on one of Sylvester matrices, balanced incomplete block designs, and error-correcting codes. The constructed hash function can be used by an apparatus for, among other uses, encrypting messages, determining if strings s and s′ are equal, and for respectively storing and retrieving data into and from a memory.