Abstract

In this work we present a new digital signature method based on hash chains and the hash message authentication code (HMAC). Unlike Blockchain technology, our approach establishes that the database of transactions is distributed among users, so each one maintains a personal record called Singlechain. The Lizama HMAC protocol defines a double authentication mechanism that verifies the origin and destination of the signature. Our analysis shows that the system generates a block size of around 6 kilobytes to perform double authentication using SHA-256, making it a promising alternative for digital signature using public key infrastructure. Since the method is based on the mathematical properties of hash functions and hash chains, the security of the method can be properly evaluated and thereby achieve a robust method of digital signatures in the quantum era.