MAKE: A matrix action key exchange

Abstract We offer a public key exchange protocol based on a semidirect product of two cyclic (semi)groups of matrices over Z p {{\mathbb{Z}}}_{p} . One of the (semi)groups is additive, and the other one is multiplicative. This allows us to take advantage of both operations on matrices to diffuse information. We note that in our protocol, no power of any matrix or of any element of Z p {{\mathbb{Z}}}_{p} is ever exposed, so standard classical attacks on Diffie–Hellman-like protocols are not applicable.