Artificial Intelligence (AI) is profoundly transforming cryptography by significantly enhancing cryptanalysis techniques and informing innovative cryptographic design approaches. This survey reviews recent advancements in applying deep learning methods to side-channel and differential fault analyses, demonstrating substantial improvements over traditional methods in attack efficiency, accuracy, and resilience. Additionally, it highlights breakthroughs such as neural differential cryptanalysis, which expand classical cryptanalytic boundaries. In cryptographic design, Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) have successfully automated the creation of high-quality cryptographic primitives, particularly S-boxes. Furthermore, AI shows promise in post-quantum cryptography (PQC) by uncovering potential vulnerabilities and optimizing cryptographic parameters. Despite these advancements, challenges persist regarding data dependency, model generalization, and interpretability. Future research directions emphasize enhancing AI model explainability, creating standardized benchmarks, and integrating AI with emerging technologies such as quantum computing and zero-knowledge proofs.
Open access
Cryptographic Implementations and Security
Chaos-based Image/Signal Encryption
Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) and Hardware Security
Ethereum, the first blockchain platform to support smart contracts, has become a target for various cybercrimes, particularly financial frauds like Ponzi schemes. Ponzi schemes on Ethereum are known as Smart Ponzi Schemes (or Ponzi Contracts) and have caused huge financial losses. Current Ponzi contract detection models face three main challenges: simple opcode sequence processing does not effectively distinguish Ponzi from non-Ponzi contracts, single-feature-based models lack accuracy, and reliance on transaction records hinders early detection. To address these issues, this paper proposes a Multi-Feature Ponzi Scheme Detection Model (MFDPonzi). MFDPonzi tracks the changes in stack, memory, and storage parameters during the execution of smart contracts, reconstructing opcode sequences and extracting diverse features, including semantic and developer features. Finally, a multi-feature fusion algorithm is used to enhance model stability. Additionally, MFDPonzi can identify Ponzi contracts at the early stage of smart contract creation without relying on transaction data. Experimental results show that MFDPonzi achieves an 85.9% recall and an 88.7% F-score on Ethereum smart contracts, outperforming baselines in both performance and robustness.
P. Selvaraj, A. Hyils Sharon Magdalene, Suresh Sankaranarayanan, Alias Muralidharan R. Rengaraj · 7 authors
This work designs a novel algorithm to address the pressing security challenges anticipated in 6G networks. A combination of AES, zero-knowledge proofs, and RSA algorithms offers a robust framework for enhancing data security and privacy in advanced wireless communication systems. AES and RSA, renowned for their encryption capabilities, are integrated for secure data transmission and key exchange processes in 6G networks. Moreover, the incorporation of zero-knowledge proofs adds an additional layer of security, allowing entities to validate their knowledge without compromising sensitive information. Through extensive simulations and analyses, the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm to ensure secure communication within 6G networks is demonstrated. The algorithm is able to reduce security threats and vulnerabilities. This research lays the groundwork for the development of resilient and trustworthy next-generation communication infrastructures. Finally, the integration of AES, RSA, and zero-knowledge proofs presents a favorable approach to strengthen data security in 6G networks, paving the way for more reliable and secure wireless communication technologies in the future.
Data security during transmission over public networks has become a key concern in an era of rapid digitization. Image data is especially vulnerable since it can be stored or transferred using public cloud services, making it open to illegal access, breaches, and eavesdropping. This work suggests a novel way to integrate blockchain technology with a Chaotic Tent map encryption scheme in order to overcome these issues. The outcome is a Blockchain driven Chaotic Tent Map Encryption Scheme (BCTMES) for secure picture transactions. The idea behind this strategy is to ensure an extra degree of security by fusing the distributed and immutable properties of blockchain technology with the intricate encryption offered by chaotic maps. To ensure that the image is transformed into a cipher form that is resistant to several types of attacks, the proposed BCTMES first encrypts it using the Chaotic Tent map encryption technique. The accompanying signed document is safely kept on the blockchain, and this encrypted image is subsequently uploaded to the cloud. The integrity and authenticity of the image are confirmed upon retrieval by utilizing blockchain's consensus mechanism, adding another layer of security against manipulation. Comprehensive performance evaluations show that BCTMES provides notable enhancements in important security parameters, such as entropy, correlation coefficient, key sensitivity, peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), unified average changing intensity (UACI), and number of pixels change rate (NPCR). In addition to providing good defense against brute-force attacks, the high key size of [Formula: see text] further strengthens the system's resilience. To sum up, the BCTMES effectively addresses a number of prevalent risks to picture security and offers a complete solution that may be implemented in cloud-based settings where data integrity and privacy are crucial. This work suggests a promising path for further investigation and practical uses in secure image transmission.
Open access
Chaos-based Image/Signal Encryption
Advanced Steganography and Watermarking Techniques
Md. Sameeruddin Khan, Tom Chen, Mithileysh Sathiyanarayanan, Mohammed Mujeerulla · 5 authors
The Internet of Things (IoT) model is presented in this paper with multi-layer security based on the Lenstra-Lenstra-Lovasz (LLL) algorithm. End nodes for the Internet of Things include inexpensive gadgets like the Raspberry Pi and Arduino boards. It is not practical to run rigorous algorithms on them, as opposed to computer systems. Therefore, a cryptography procedure is required that could function on this IOT equipment. Bitcoins and Ethereum are examples of cryptocurrency and Ripple employs techniques such as elliptic curve digital signature, Elliptic-Curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH), and algorithm to sign any cryptocurrency on SECP256k1 elliptic curves transactions. By using Lenstra-Lenstra-Lovasz on a real-world Bitcoin blockchain and applying it to multiple dimensions, such as nonce leakage and weak nonces across several elliptic curves with different bit sizes on a Raspberry Pi, we can demonstrate the security of elliptic curve cryptosystems. Public key encryption techniques are seriously threatened by the development of quantum computing. Therefore, employing lattice encryption with Nth Degree Truncated Polynomial Ring Units (NTRU-NTH) on the Bitcoin blockchain will increase the resistance of Bitcoin blocks to quantum computing assaults. The execution time taken on SECP256k1 is 131.7 Milli seconds comparatively faster than NIST-224P and NIST-384P.
Zero-knowledge proofs validate statements without revealing any information, pivotal for applications such as verifiable outsourcing and digital currencies. However, their broad adoption is limited by the prolonged proof generation times, mainly due to two operations: Multi-Scalar Multiplication (MSM) and Number Theoretic Transform (NTT). While MSM has been efficiently accelerated using multi-GPU systems, NTT has not, due to the high inter-GPU communication overhead incurred by its permutation data access pattern.
Threshold cryptography is a powerful and well-known technique with many applications to systems relying on distributed trust. It has recently emerged also as a solution to challenges in blockchain: frontrunning prevention, managing wallet keys, and generating randomness. This work presents Thetacrypt, a versatile library for integrating many threshold schemes into one codebase. It offers a way to easily build distributed systems using threshold cryptography and is agnostic to their implementation language. The architecture of Thetacrypt supports diverse protocols uniformly. The library currently includes six cryptographic schemes that span ciphers, signatures, and randomness generation. The library additionally contains a flexible adapter to an underlying networking layer that provides peer-to-peer communication and a total-order broadcast channel; the latter can be implemented by distributed ledgers, for instance. Thetacrypt serves as a controlled testbed for evaluating the performance of multiple threshold-cryptographic schemes under consistent conditions, showing how the traditional micro benchmarking approach neglects the distributed nature of the protocols and its relevance when considering system performance.
Secure multi-party computation is an area in cryptography which studies how multiple parties can compare their private information without revealing it. Besides digital protocols, many unconventional protocols for secure multi-party computation using physical objects have also been developed. The vast majority of them use playing cards as the main tools. In 2024, Kaneko et al. introduced the use of a balance scale and coins in zero-knowledge proof protocols for pencil puzzles. In this paper, we extend the use of these tools to secure multi-party computation. In particular, we develop four protocols that can securely compute any $n$-variable Boolean function using a balance scale and coins.
Internet of Things (IoT) is adopted in a wide spectrum of applications in which a vast amount of data are produced and distributed to centralized cloud platforms to deliver various services. It involves smart devices that collect thousands of terabytes of heterogeneous data and deployed this to make instant decision that aids for the better performance and most comfort life. Traditional IoT architecture is heavily centralized, where it stores the most sensitive information that creates the multiple threats and security breaches as the attackers target towards these centralized cloud systems. To improve the security chain in IoT environment, edge computing (EC) was introduced to distribute the applications of IoT at the edge of the communication networks. However, these edge-based IoT are also vulnerable to many threats due to their decentralized and in secured management. Block chain (BC) technology offers a most trusted solution to resolve the security issues in the IoT-Edge computing environment. This research study presents the block chain driven medical image encryption technique using modified honey badger optimization with the ensemble chaotic systems. The proposed block chain framework uses the divergent methods that integrates differential scroll, Hénon chaotic maps and modified honey badger optimization to generate the optimum keys and high secured image data. These high secured data are stored in the block chain, ensuring the image security to be stored in edge nodes. The complete framework was experimented using Ethereum using Ganache API and Python3.19 are utilized as the major programs for designing the varied interfaces of the recommended model. The comprehensive experimentation is undertaken to assess the security strength of the recommended encryption scheme. The evaluation metrics like as NACI, UACI, Entropy and standard verification methods such as NIST standard tests are deployed and analyzed. To prove it security strength, proposed secured BC framework is compared with the wide-variety of secured frameworks. The experimental findings reveal that the suggested framework establishes a more robust and secure environment for image exchange, surpassing the performance of other blockchain-based systems in terms of integrity, robustness and security. Finally, the paper spreads the bright light of advantages in deploying the proposed framework to formulate the most secured environment in the IoT-Edge environment for medical image transmission.
Open access
Blockchain Technology Applications and Security
Advanced Steganography and Watermarking Techniques
Currently, PAKE (Password Authenticated Key Exchange) protocols on lattice using a single-server architecture are widely applied. However, such protocols are vulnerable to server leakage attacks, dictionary attacks, and other threats. To address these issues, researchers have proposed multi-server and two-server architecture-based PAKE protocols. However, PAKE protocols in a multi-server architecture require the use of complex cryptographic primitives such as signatures, and zero-knowledge proofs to ensure security, which reduces the execution efficiency of the protocol. To solve these problems, we propose a two-server PAKE protocol on the lattice based on the MLWE (Module learning with errors) problem. The protocol is built using instances of the MLWE problem and utilizes the Peikert error coordination technique, which ensures both parties with similar values arrive at the same result through computation. Additionally, we introduce the error pairing hypothesis and demonstrates its security within the random oracle model. The protocol securely stores different shares of password information across various servers. This approach protects user password data, even if one of the servers is compromised. Compared to similar protocols, we avoid the use of numerous cryptographic primitives, and can better resist quantum computing attacks and server leakage. And we reduce computational and communication costs, and can better meet practical application needs.
In an era where digitalization has dominated the financial world, cryptographic methods have become the foundation of secure transactions and data integrity. This report conducts an in-depth analysis of the cryptographic methods used in modern cryptocurrencies, namely Bitcoin and Ethereum, and traditional banking systems. The strengths, limitations and implications regarding security and scalability will be highlighted. Bitcoin, employing the usage of Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) and the Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA-256) offers a robust and decentralized architecture heavily resistant to modern threats such as brute force attacks, as well as future threats that may arise with the rapid development of quantum computing. Ethereum takes the fundamental principles of Bitcoin, and enhances them with innovations like Keccak-256, and Recursive Length Prefix (RLP) encoding, optimizing the security and efficiency for complex operations such as smart contracts. Comparatively, traditional banking systems utilize a hybridized cryptographic system, incorporating the usage of methods like AES and ECC to balance security with performance within a centralized financial system, however often constrained by the vulnerabilities methods like AES brings, such as information leakage and overall human error. This comparative analysis highlights the trade-offs between these three systems, offering critical insights into the rapidly evolving role that cryptography is taking in shaping the future of the financial world. The findings presented in this report offer actionable recommendations for advancing cryptographic techniques and adopting decentralized systems to enhance the resilience of commonly used financial systems out in the world today.
As quantum computing advances, classical public-key cryptosystems face escalating risks, driving global standardization efforts by NIST, ETSI, and ISO. This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent developments in post-quantum cryptography (PQC), focusing on lattice-based, hash-based, and multivariate approaches. We examine their security foundations, implementation challenges, and applicability across domains such as finance, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT). A core contribution is the proposed Hybrid Cryptographic Framework (HCF), which combines classical and quantum-resistant primitives to enable a secure and interoperable migration path. The framework integrates hybrid key exchange, dual-signature schemes, and PQC-compatible Merkle trees, and is supported by a discrete multi-objective optimization model for selecting algorithms under real-world constraints. The paper also discusses deployment challenges, including hardware acceleration, side-channel resistance, and legacy compatibility. Real-world case studies illustrate how leading institutions are piloting PQC integration in practice. Finally, we propose a strategic roadmap for PQC adoption, incorporating adaptive triggers based on quantum capabilities and evolving threat models. By aligning cryptographic design with international standards and practical system requirements, this work offers guidance for building resilient, quantum-safe infrastructures.
Delaram Kahrobaei, Ludovic Perret, Martina Vigorito
Abstract Bidoux and Gaborit introduced a new general technique to improve zero-knowledge ( ZK ) proof-of-knowledge ( PoK ) schemes for a large set of well-known post-quantum hard computational problems such as the syndrome decoding, the permuted kernel, the rank syndrome decoding, and the multivariate quadratic ( MQ ) problems. In particular, the authors’ idea in the study of Bidoux and Gaborit was to use the structure of these problems in the multi-instance setting to minimize the communication complexity of the resulting ZK PoK schemes. The security of the new schemes is then related to new hard problems. In this article, we focus on the new multivariate-based ZK PoK and the corresponding new underlying problem: the so-called <m:math xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <m:msub> <m:mrow> <m:mi mathvariant="monospace">DiffMQ</m:mi> </m:mrow> <m:mrow> <m:mi mathvariant="normal">H</m:mi> </m:mrow> </m:msub> </m:math> {{\mathtt{DiffMQ}}}_{{\rm{H}}} . We present a new efficient probabilistic algorithm for solving the <m:math xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <m:msub> <m:mrow> <m:mi mathvariant="monospace">DiffMQ</m:mi> </m:mrow> <m:mrow> <m:mi mathvariant="normal">H</m:mi> </m:mrow> </m:msub> </m:math> {{\mathtt{DiffMQ}}}_{{\rm{H}}} which is polynomial-time if <m:math xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <m:mi>m</m:mi> <m:mo>−</m:mo> <m:mi>n</m:mi> <m:mo>∈</m:mo> <m:mi>O</m:mi> <m:mrow> <m:mo>(</m:mo> <m:mrow> <m:mn>1</m:mn> </m:mrow> <m:mo>)</m:mo> </m:mrow> </m:math> m-n\in O\left(1) . We also present experimental results showing that the algorithm is efficient in practice.
Михайленко, Олександр Ігорович, Гороховський, Кирило Семенович, Гороховський, Семен Самуїлович
The paper explores the possibility of expanding the use of end-to-end encryption protocols based on the Double Ratchet algorithm in applications with low trust in the server, particularly in turn-based games and strategic interactions. The relevance of the research is due to the growing need for secure communication in cyberattacks, especially during military operations. The field of end-to-end encryption requires the study of additional applications beyond the usual ones, such as encrypted communication in text messengers. The developed implementation of the protocol can be safely used in any applications that aim to implement end-to-end encryption and satisfy the criterion of session ephemerality (in cases where secrets are stored outside a secure environment). The implemented server supports ephemeral sessions, which guarantee minimal risks of information compromise, and uses digital signatures (EdDSA) for user authentication. Logical routing of requests ensures efficient message transmission in secure scenarios. The choice of the classic game of checkers as an example allowed the authors to effectively demonstrate the advantages of end-to-end encryption and the capabilities of the implemented protocol. All cryptographic operations, including key generation, encryption and decryption of messages, are successfully performed on client devices. It is important to improve error handling mechanisms and optimize the operation of WebAssembly. An interesting area of further research is the creation of zero-knowledge proof mechanisms to prevent Man-In-The-Middle attacks during the creation of a shared secret, optimizing integration with cryptographic hardware security modules (HSM), and exploring the scalability of the solution. The proposed approach can be used to solve real-world information security problems where trust in the data transmission channel is critically important. Thus, the work has created a comprehensive solution that includes a cryptographic protocol, a backend, and a web client, which demonstrates the viability of end-to-end encryption in browser environments and multiplayer games. The work can be used as a basis for further research and development in the field of security of communication systems and privacy in multiplayer games.
The design of financial instruments and processes is contingent on the infrastructure supporting them. Blockchain technology, as utilised by public crypto networks such as Ethereum, represents a novel type of payment and settlement infrastructure that gives rise to a new generation of solutions. This paper discusses the key properties of this technology, including immediacy, omni-asset capability, programmability and its ability to flatten the financial architecture (disintermediation). We illustrate the distinctive products these features make possible, and have the potential to disrupt current payment and capital market systems. We discuss the utility of blockchain technology in private (permissioned) networks. Finally, we revisit the risks of public crypto networks and their mitigants. This article is also included in the Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.