Author(s)
Dr Magdy M Saeb

Summary
The ideas incorporated in the development of this cipher may pave the way for key-driven encryption rather than merely using the key for sub-key generation. The cipher is adaptable to both hardware and software implementations. Potential applications include voice.

Abstract
The Chameleon Cipher-192 is a polymorphic cipher that utilizes a variable word size and variable-size user’s key. In the preprocessing stage, the user key is extended into a larger table or bit-level S-box using a specially developed hash-function. The generated table is used in a special configuration to substantially increase the substitution addressing space. Accordingly, we call this table the S-orb. We show that the proposed cipher provides concepts of key-dependent number of rotations, key-dependent number of rounds and key-dependent addresses of substitution tables. Moreover, the parameters used to generate the different Sorb words are likewise key-dependent. We establish that the self-modifying proposed cipher, based on the aforementioned key dependencies, provides an algorithm polymorphism and adequate security with a simple parallelizable structure. The ideas incorporated in the development of this cipher may pave the way for key-driven encryption rather than merely using the key for sub-key generation. The cipher is adaptable to both hardware and software implementations. Potential applications include voice and image encryption.

Source Info
SECRYPT2009, International Conference on Security & Cryptography, Milan, Italy; 7-10 July, 2009

R&D Area
Information Security

Links
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