The group structure of elliptic curves over Z/NZ

Abstract

We characterize the possible groups $E(\mathbb{Z}/N\mathbb{Z})$ arising from elliptic curves over $\mathbb{Z}/N\mathbb{Z}$ in terms of the groups $E(\mathbb{F}_p)$, with $p$ varying among the prime divisors of $N$. This classification is achieved by showing that the infinity part of any elliptic curve over $\mathbb{Z}/p^e\mathbb{Z}$ is a $\mathbb{Z}/p^e\mathbb{Z}$-torsor, of which a generator is exhibited. As a first consequence, when $E(\mathbb{Z}/N\mathbb{Z})$ is a $p$-group, we provide an explicit and sharp bound on its rank. As a second consequence, when $N = p^e$ is a prime power and the projected curve $E(\mathbb{F}_p)$ has trace one, we provide an isomorphism attack to the ECDLP, which works only by means of finite rings arithmetic.