Pseudo-random generation of matrices for a computational fuzzy extractor and method for authentication

A method of authenticating a first device, the method comprising:

• receiving, with a transceiver of the first device, a helper bit string from a second device that is remote from the first device;
• measuring a first response bit string of a physical unclonable function of the first device with respect to a challenge bit string, the physical unclonable function being provided by a component of the first device;
• subtracting, with the processor of the first device, the first response bit string from the helper bit string;
• reconstructing, with the processor of the first device, a random matrix using a pseudo-random number generator initialized with a seed;
• and
• decoding, with the processor of the first device, a result of the subtraction using the random matrix, a shared secret bit string being provided from the decoding if the helper bit string was encoded using a previously measured second response bit string that is within a threshold level of similarity to the first response bit string, the decoding outputting an error value otherwise.