1.1. Secret Sharing Problem Motivation

Try these first

1. 1.

   What does the 'n' in (n, t) secret sharing represent?

   Hint

   Think about how many people hold a piece of the secret.

2. 2.

   Why is it important that at least two people have to agree to access a secret?

   Hint

   Consider security and trust issues.

3. 3.

   What is the (n, t) secret sharing model?

   • A system for breaking secrets
   • A method of dividing a secret among several parties
   • A way to encrypt data

   Hint

   Recall the definitions discussed in class.

4. 4.

   True or False: In secret sharing, if one shareholder is compromised, the secret can still remain secure.

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Consider how many access points are required.

5. 5.

   Imagine a situation with 5 shareholders where 3 of them must agree to access a secret. Describe how you would implement a secret-sharing scheme.

   Hint

   Consider how the coefficients would be assigned to the polynomial.

6. 6.

   Identify potential weaknesses in a secret sharing scheme involving only 2 out of 3 shareholders needing to access a secret. What could go wrong?

   Hint

   Reflect on the balance between ease of access and security.