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Energy-optimized Symmetric Cryptography by Algebraic Duality Analysis

Objective

The main scientific contribution of this project will be a breakthrough in the understanding of cryptanalytic and side channel attacks of symmetric cryptosystems. We will do this by a unification of attacks that will a stepping stone to the holy grail of symmetric cryptography: provable security of concrete cryptosystems. The main real-world impact is that we will build cryptosystems that are much more efficient than those used today while having the same strength. Depending on the platform, higher efficiency translates to lower energy/power (in-body sensors, contactless payment cards etc.), but also lower latency (authentication for e.g car brakes or airbags) and/or lower heat dissipation (on-the-fly encryption of high bandwidth data streams). In a software implementation it simply means less CPU cycles per byte.

We build our cryptosystems as modes, on top of block ciphers or permutations. For these primitives we adopt the classical technique of iterating a simple round function (more rounds means more security but less efficiency). We focus on round functions of algebraic degree 2. Their relative simplicity will allow a unification of all cryptanalytic attacks that exploit propagation of affine varieties and polynomial ideals (their dual) through the rounds and to precisely estimate their success rates. Moreover, we will design modes that strongly restrict the exposure of the primitive(s) to attackers and that permit security reductions to specific properties of the underlying primitive(s) in a formally verifiable way. In comparison to the classical pseudorandom and ideal permutation models, this will allow reducing the number of rounds while preserving security with high assurance. We will also study side channel attacks of our round functions and ways to defend against them. We will make ASIC prototypes and implement novel efficient countermeasures against side channel attacks and use this to evaluate their effectiveness in practice.

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Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2017-ADG

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Host institution

STICHTING RADBOUD UNIVERSITEIT
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 2 500 000,00
Address
HOUTLAAN 4
6525 XZ Nijmegen
Netherlands

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Region
Oost-Nederland Gelderland Arnhem/Nijmegen
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 2 514 071,25

Beneficiaries (1)

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