[Resource Topic] 2025/330: (Multi-Input) FE for Randomized Functionalities, Revisited

Welcome to the resource topic for 2025/330

Title:
(Multi-Input) FE for Randomized Functionalities, Revisited

Authors: Pratish Datta, Jiaxin Guan, Alexis Korb, Amit Sahai

Abstract:

Randomized functional encryption (rFE) generalizes functional encryption (FE) by incorporating randomized functionalities. Randomized multi-input functional encryption (rMIFE) extends rFE to accommodate multi-input randomized functionalities.

In this paper, we reassess the framework of rFE/rMIFE enhancing our understanding of this primitive and laying the groundwork for more secure and flexible constructions in this field. Specifically, we make three key contributions:

  • New definition: We identify critical gap in the existing indistinguishability-based (IND) security definition for rFE/rMIFE. Notably, current definition fails to adequately address security against malicious encryptors—a crucial requirement for rFE/rMIFE since their introduction. We propose a novel, robust IND security definition that not only addresses threats from malicious decryptors but also quantifies the security against malicious encryptors effectively.

  • Counterexample: To illustrate the importance of this definitional gap, we provide a counterexample of an insecure rFE scheme that meets IND security under the previous definition but explicitly fails in a natural setting (and where this failure would be precluded by our enhanced definition). Our counterexample scheme is non-trivial and meticulously designed using standard cryptographic tools, namely FE for deterministic functions, pseudorandom function (PRF), public key encryption (PKE), and simulation-sound non-interactive zero-knowledge (NIZK) proof systems.

  • Adaptive unbounded-message secure construction: The only viable prior construction of rMIFE by Goldwasser et al. [EUROCRYPT 2014] (which uses indistinguishability obfuscation (iO) and other standard assumptions) has significant limitations: it permits only a pre-defined number of messages per encryption slot and operates under selective-security constraints, requiring adversaries to declare challenge ciphertext queries and “corrupted” encryption keys in advance. We address these shortcomings by employing sub-exponentially secure iO. Technically, we build on and adapt methods developed by Goyal et al. [ASIACRYPT 2016] for deterministic MIFE.

ePrint: https://eprint.iacr.org/2025/330

See all topics related to this paper.

Feel free to post resources that are related to this paper below.

Example resources include: implementations, explanation materials, talks, slides, links to previous discussions on other websites.

For more information, see the rules for Resource Topics .