An exponential bound on the number of non-isotopic commutative semifields

We show that the number of non-isotopic commutative semifields of odd order $p^{n}$ is exponential in $n$ when $n = 4t$ and $t$ is not a power of $2$. We introduce a new family of commutative semifields and a method for proving isotopy results on commutative semifields that we use to deduce the aforementioned bound. The previous best bound on the number of non-isotopic commutative semifields of odd order was quadratic in $n$ and given by Zhou and Pott [Adv. Math. 234 (2013)]. Similar bounds in the case of even order were given in Kantor [J. Algebra 270 (2003)] and Kantor and Williams [Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 356 (2004)].Comment: 27 pages. Incorporates reviewer comments. To appear in Transactions of the American Mathematical Societ

New Bounds for Permutation Codes in Ulam Metric

New bounds on the cardinality of permutation codes equipped with the Ulam distance are presented. First, an integer-programming upper bound is derived, which improves on the Singleton-type upper bound in the literature for some lengths. Second, several probabilistic lower bounds are developed, which improve on the known lower bounds for large minimum distances. The results of a computer search for permutation codes are also presented.Comment: To be presented at ISIT 2015, 5 page

A simplified approach to rigorous degree 2 elimination in discrete logarithm algorithms

International audienceIn this paper, we revisit the ZigZag strategy of Granger, Kleinjung and Zumbrägel. In particular, we provide a new algorithm and proof for the so-called degree 2 elimination step. This allows us to provide a stronger theorem concerning discrete logarithm computations in small characteristic fields F q k 0 k with k close to q and k0 a small integer. As in the aforementioned paper, we rely on the existence of two polynomi-als h0 and h1 of degree 2 providing a convenient representation of the finite field F q k 0 k

On the division property of S-boxes

In 2015, Todo introduced a property of multisets of a finite field called the division property. It is then used by Todo in an attack against the S7 S-box of the MISTY1 cipher. This paper provides a complete mathematical analysis of the division property. The tool we use is the discrete Fourier transform. We relate the division property to the natural concept of the degree of a subset of a finite field. This indeed provides a characterization of multisets satisfying the division property. In 2015, Sun et al. gave some properties related to the division property. In this paper we give a complete characterization and reprove many of their results. We show that the division property is actually the dual of the degree of $t$-products of the inverse S-box and show these two characteristics are affine invariants. We then propose a very efficient way to check vulnerability of a given S-box against attacks of this type. We also reprove some recent interesting results using the method based on the discrete Fourier transform. We finally check whether the S-boxes of the candidate ciphers in the CAESAR competition are vulnerable against attacks based on the division property

On the Function Field Sieve and the Impact of Higher Splitting Probabilities: Application to Discrete Logarithms in \F_{2^{1971}} and \F_{2^{3164}}

In this paper we propose a binary field variant of the Joux-Lercier medium-sized Function Field Sieve, which results not only in complexities as low as $L_{q^n}(1/3,(4/9)^{1/3})$ for computing arbitrary logarithms, but also in an heuristic {\em polynomial time} algorithm for finding the discrete logarithms of degree one and two elements when the field has a subfield of an appropriate size. To illustrate the efficiency of the method, we have successfully solved the DLP in the finite fields with $2^{1971}$ and $2^{3164}$ elements, setting a record for binary fields

Sayısal normal biçim kullanılarak bulunan boole fonksiyonlarına ilişkin bölünebilirlik sonuçları.

A Boolean function can be represented in several different forms. These different representation have advantages and disadvantages of their own. The Algebraic Normal Form, truth table, and Walsh spectrum representations are widely studied in literature. In 1999, Claude Carlet and Phillippe Guillot introduced the Numerical Normal Form. NumericalNormal Form(NNF) of a Boolean function is similar to Algebraic Normal Form, with integer coefficients instead of coefficients from the two element field. Using NNF representation, just like the Walsh spectrum, characterization of several cryptographically important functions, such as resilient and bent functions, is possible. In 2002, Carlet had shown several divisibility results concerning resilient and correlation-immune functions using NNF. With these divisibility results, Carlet is able to give bounds concerning nonlinearity of resilient and correlation immune functions. In this thesis, following Carlet and Guillot, we introduce the Numerical Normal Form and derive the pairwise relations between the mentioned representations. Characterization of Boolean, resilient and bent functions using NNF is also given. We then review the divisibility results of Carlet, which will be linked to some results on the nonlinearity of resilient and correlation immune functions. We show the Möbius inversion properties of NNF of a Boolean function, using Gian-Carlo Rota̕s work as a guide. Finally, using a lot of the mentioned results, we prove a necessary condition on theWalsh spectrum of Boolean functions with given degree.M.S. - Master of Scienc

A simplified approach to rigorous degree 2 elimination in discrete logarithm algorithms

International audienceIn this paper, we revisit the ZigZag strategy of Granger, Kleinjung and Zumbrägel. In particular, we provide a new algorithm and proof for the so-called degree 2 elimination step. This allows us to provide a stronger theorem concerning discrete logarithm computations in small characteristic fields F q k 0 k with k close to q and k0 a small integer. As in the aforementioned paper, we rely on the existence of two polynomi-als h0 and h1 of degree 2 providing a convenient representation of the finite field F q k 0 k

On the Function Field Sieve and the Impact of Higher Splitting Probabilities

In this paper we propose a binary field variant of the JouxLercier medium-sized Function Field Sieve, which results not only in complexities as low as Lqn (1/3,(4/9)1/3) for computing arbitrary logarithms, but also in an heuristic polynomial time algorithm for finding the discrete logarithms of degree one and two elements when the field has a subfield of an appropriate size. To illustrate the efficiency of the method, we have successfully solved the DLP in the finite fields with 21971 and 23164 elements, setting a record for binary fields

Fibre products of supersingular curves and the enumeration of irreducible polynomials with prescribed coefficients

For any positive integers n≥3, r≥1 we present formulae for the number of irreducible polynomials of degree n over the finite field F2r where the coefficients of xn−1, xn−2 and xn−3 are zero. Our proofs involve counting the number of points on certain algebraic curvesover finite fields, a technique which arose from Fourier-analysing the known formulae for the F2 base field cases, reverse-engineering an economical new proof and then extending it. This approach gives rise to fibre products of supersingular curves and makes explicit why the formulae have period 24 in n