Hi, >From my understanding ECDSA has a modulus N and a field size of q.
When generating the co-ordinates (x,y) using the generator and random value k - g * k = (x,y) - the x and y values should be restricted to the range x = [1, ... , q-1] and y = [1, ... , q -1]. Then of course to get r we do: r = x mod N >From what I can see in the implementation (ecs_ossl.c) when using ecdsa_sign_setup - the 'q' field size is never used! /* * Does the multiplciation of G (generator) * k to produce curve point (x,y) */ EC_POINT_mul(group, temp_point, k, NULL, NULL, ctx) /* * Retrieve BIGNUM for X value (don't need y) */ if (EC_METHOD_get_field_type(EC_GROUP_method_of(group)) == NID_X9_62_prime_field) { if (!EC_POINT_get_affine_coordinates_GFp(group, tmp_point, X, NULL, ctx)) { ECDSAerr(ECDSA_F_ECDSA_SIGN_SETUP,ERR_R_EC_LIB); goto err; } } /* * Get r value by doing r = x mod N */ if (!BN_nnmod(r, X, order, ctx)) { ECDSAerr(ECDSA_F_ECDSA_SIGN_SETUP, ERR_R_BN_LIB); goto err; } As well, in the verification of a signature 'q' should be used - but from the implementation in the do_verify method, when 'mod q' should be executed - it is actually doing it on the order N: /* u1 = m * tmp mod order */ if (!BN_mod_mul(u1, m, u2, order, ctx)) { ECDSAerr(ECDSA_F_ECDSA_DO_VERIFY, ERR_R_BN_LIB); goto err; } /* u2 = r * w mod q */ if (!BN_mod_mul(u2, sig->r, u2, order, ctx)) { ECDSAerr(ECDSA_F_ECDSA_DO_VERIFY, ERR_R_BN_LIB); goto err; } -------------------- To sum up - when does the field size 'q' get used (as depicted in the algorithm description)? As it makes the r = x mod N operation pointless? -- View this message in context: http://openssl.6102.n7.nabble.com/ECDSA-OpenSSL-Implementation-using-the-modulus-N-instead-of-field-size-q-tp47743.html Sent from the OpenSSL - User mailing list archive at Nabble.com. ______________________________________________________________________ OpenSSL Project http://www.openssl.org User Support Mailing List openssl-users@openssl.org Automated List Manager majord...@openssl.org