Proof of a Conjectured Three-Valued Family of Weil Sums of Binomials

We consider Weil sums of binomials of the form $W_{F,d}(a)=\sum_{x \in F} \psi(x^d-a x)$, where $F$ is a finite field, $\psi\colon F\to {\mathbb C}$ is the canonical additive character, $\gcd(d,|F^\times|)=1$, and $a \in F^\times$. If we fix $F$ and $d$ and examine the values of $W_{F,d}(a)$ as $a$ runs through $F^\times$, we always obtain at least three distinct values unless $d$ is degenerate (a power of the characteristic of $F$ modulo $|F^\times|$). Choices of $F$ and $d$ for which we obtain only three values are quite rare and desirable in a wide variety of applications. We show that if $F$ is a field of order $3^n$ with $n$ odd, and $d=3^r+2$ with $4 r \equiv 1 \pmod{n}$, then $W_{F,d}(a)$ assumes only the three values $0$ and $\pm 3^{(n+1)/2}$. This proves the 2001 conjecture of Dobbertin, Helleseth, Kumar, and Martinsen. The proof employs diverse methods involving trilinear forms, counting points on curves via multiplicative character sums, divisibility properties of Gauss sums, and graph theory.Comment: 19 page

Mathematical aspects of the design and security of block ciphers

Block ciphers constitute a major part of modern symmetric cryptography. A mathematical analysis is necessary to ensure the security of the cipher. In this thesis, I develop several new contributions for the analysis of block ciphers. I determine cryptographic properties of several special cryptographically interesting mappings like almost perfect nonlinear functions. I also give some new results both on the resistance of functions against differential-linear attacks as well as on the efficiency of implementation of certain block ciphers

A conjecture about Gauss sums and bentness of binomial Boolean functions

In this note, the polar decomposition of binary fields of even extension degree is used to reduce the evaluation of the Walsh transform of binomial Boolean functions to that of Gauss sums. In the case of extensions of degree four times an odd number, an explicit formula involving a Kloosterman sum is conjectured, proved with further restrictions, and supported by extensive experimental data in the general case. In particular, the validity of this formula is shown to be equivalent to a simple and efficient characterization for bentness previously conjectured by Mesnager

On the Typical Size and Cancelations Among the Coefficients of Some Modular Forms

We obtain a nontrivial upper bound for almost all elements of the sequences of real numbers which are multiplicative and at the prime indices are distributed according to the Sato--Tate density. Examples of such sequences come from coefficients of several $L$-functions of elliptic curves and modular forms. In particular, we show that $|\tau(n)|\le n^{11/2} (\log n)^{-1/2+o(1)}$ for a set of $n$ of asymptotic density 1, where $\tau(n)$ is the Ramanujan $\tau$ function while the standard argument yields $\log 2$ instead of $-1/2$ in the power of the logarithm. Another consequence of our result is that in the number of representations of $n$ by a binary quadratic form one has slightly more than square-root cancellations for almost all integers $n$. In addition we obtain a central limit theorem for such sequences, assuming a weak hypothesis on the rate of convergence to the Sato--Tate law. For Fourier coefficients of primitive holomorphic cusp forms such a hypothesis is known conditionally assuming the automorphy of all symmetric powers of the form and seems to be within reach unconditionally using the currently established potential automorphy.Comment: The second version contains some improvements and extensions of previous results, suggested by Maksym Radziwill, who is now a co-autho