We show how to compute x k using multiplications and divisions. We use this method in the context of elliptic curves for which a law exists with the property that division has the same cost as multiplication. Our best algorithm is 11.11% faster than the ordinary binary algorithm and speeds up accordingly the factorization and primality testing algorithms using elliptic curves. 1. Introduction. Recent algorithms used in primality testing and integer factorization make use of elliptic curves defined over finite fields or Artinian rings (cf. Section 2). One can define over these sets an abelian law. As a consequence, one can transpose over the corresponding groups all the classical algorithms that were designed over Z/NZ. In particular, one has the analogue of the p \Gamma 1 factorization algorithm of Pollard [29, 5, 20, 22], the Fermat-like primality testing algorithms [1, 14, 21, 26] and the public key cryptosystems based on RSA [30, 17, 19]. The basic operation performed on an elli...

The theory of elliptic curves is a classical topic in many branches of algebra and number theory, but recently it is receiving more attention in cryptography. An elliptic curve is a two-dimensional (planar) curve defined by an equation involving a cubic power of coordinate x and a square power of coordinate y. One class of these curves is