Design and Analysis of Cryptographic Hash Functions

Wydział Matematyki i InformatykiKryptograficzne funkcje haszujące stanowią element składowy wielu algorytmów kryptograficznych. Przykładowymi zastosowaniami kryptograficznych funkcji haszujących są podpisy cyfrowe oraz kody uwierzytelniania wiadomości. Ich własności kryptograficzne mają znaczący wpływ na poziom bezpieczeństwa systemów kryptograficznych wykorzystujących haszowanie. W dysertacji analizowane są kryptograficzne funkcje haszujące oraz omówione główne zasady tworzenia bezpiecznych kryptograficznych funkcji haszujących. Analizujemy bezpieczeństwo dedykowanych funkcji haszujących (BMW, Shabal, SIMD, BLAKE2, Skein) oraz funkcji haszujących zbudowanych z szyfrów blokowych (Crypton, Hierocrypt-3, IDEA, SAFER++, Square). Głównymi metodami kryptoanalizy użytymi są skrócona analiza różnicowa, analiza rotacyjna i przesuwna. Uzyskane wyniki pokazują słabości analizowanych konstrukcji.Cryptographic Hash Functions (CHFs) are building blocks of many cryptographic algorithms. For instance, they are indispensable tools for efficient digital signature and authentication tags. Their security properties have tremendous impact on the security level of systems, which use cryptographic hashing. This thesis analyzes CHFs and studies the design principles for construction of secure and efficient CHFs. The dissertation investigates security of both dedicated hash functions (BMW, Shabal, SIMD, BLAKE2, Skein) and hash functions based on block ciphers (Crypton, Hierocrypt-3, IDEA, SAFER++, Square). The main cryptographic tools applied are truncated differentials, rotational and shift analysis. The findings show weaknesses in the designs

Parallel implementation of the k-connectivity test algorithm

There exists a large number of theoretical results concerning fast parallel algorithms for graph problems, however, scarcely one finds reports of their practical implementation. In an attempt at partial filling this gap we discuss implementation of an algorithm performing the pretest for k-connectivity. This test is based, first, on the Scan-First Search algorithm introduced in [1]. Utilizing this procedure we decrease the size of the input graph by removing selected edges so that the resulting graph (certificate of k-connectivity) has only 0(kn) left. During this part of computations we can answer the question about k-connectivity negatively if a certificate cannot be generated. Afterwards, we can apply the test described in [2] to establish ^-connectivity in the remaining cases

E2/E3-independent ubiquitin-like protein conjugation by Urm1 is directly coupled to cysteine persulfidation.

Post-translational modifications by ubiquitin-like proteins (UBLs) are essential for nearly all cellular processes. Ubiquitin-related modifier 1 (Urm1) is a unique UBL, which plays a key role in tRNA anticodon thiolation as a sulfur carrier protein (SCP) and is linked to the noncanonical E1 enzyme Uba4 (ubiquitin-like protein activator 4). While Urm1 has also been observed to conjugate to target proteins like other UBLs, the molecular mechanism of its attachment remains unknown. Here, we reconstitute the covalent attachment of thiocarboxylated Urm1 to various cellular target proteins in vitro, revealing that, unlike other known UBLs, this process is E2/E3-independent and requires oxidative stress. Furthermore, we present the crystal structures of the peroxiredoxin Ahp1 before and after the covalent attachment of Urm1. Surprisingly, we show that urmylation is accompanied by the transfer of sulfur to cysteine residues in the target proteins, also known as cysteine persulfidation. Our results illustrate the role of the Uba4-Urm1 system as a key evolutionary link between prokaryotic SCPs and the UBL modifications observed in modern eukaryotes

Contributions to cryptanalysis: design and analysis of cryptographic hash functions

"A thesis submitted to Macquarie University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Department of Computing, Faculty of Science"."August 2012"Includes bibliographical references.1. Introduction -- 2. Cryptographic hash functions -- 3. Open key differential analysis for block ciphers -- 4. IDEA in various hashing modes -- 5. Analysis of addition-rotation-XOR designs -- 6. Conclusions -- A. Proofs of rotational analysis lemmas -- B. mCrypton."A cryptographic hash function is a mechanism producing a fixed-length output of a message of arbitrary length. It fullfils a collection of security requirements guaranteeing that a hash function does not introduce any weakness into the system to which it is applied. The example applications of cryptographic hash functions include digital signatures and message authentication codes. This thesis analyzes cryptographic hash functions and studies the design principles in the construction of secure cryptographic hash functions. We investigate the problem of building hash functions from block ciphers and the security properties of different structures used to design compression functions. We show that we can build open-key differential distinguishers for Crypton, Hierocrypt-3, SAFER++ and Square. We know that our attack on SAFER++ is the first rebound attack with standard differentials. To demonstrate the efficiency of proposed distinguishers, we provide formal proof of a lower bound for finding a differential pair that follows a truncated differential in the case of a random permutation. Our analysis shows that block ciphers used as the underlying primitive should also be analyzed in the open-key model to prevent possible collision attacks. We analyze the IDEA-based hash functions in a variety of cipher modes. We present practical complexity collision search attacks and preimage attacks, where we exploit a null weak-key and a new non-trivial property of IDEA. We prove that even if a cipher is considered secure in the secret-key model, one has to be very careful when using it as a building block in the hashing modes. Finally, we investigate the recent rotational analysis. We show how to extend the rotational analysis to subtractions, shifts, bit-wise Boolean functions, multi additions and multi subtractions. In particular, we develop formulae for calculation of probabilities of preserving the rotation property for multiple modular additions and subtractions. We examine S-functions and its application to the rotational analysis. The findings are applied to BMW and SIMD. We also propose a new shift distinguisher and apply it to Shabal.Mode of access: World Wide Web.1 online resource (xi, 137 pages

Providing transport capacity for peace operations in Africa

The article is aimed at question how nations can better support the United Nations missions in Africa with focus on their transport operations, including military support and commercial transport. The intention is to fill a gap in literature on the most needed specialist enablers – military transport

Molecular basis for the bifunctional Uba4–Urm1 sulfur‐relay system in tRNA thiolation and ubiquitin‐like conjugation

The chemical modification of tRNA bases by sulfur is crucial to tune translation and to optimize protein synthesis. In eukaryotes, the ubiquitin-related modifier 1 (Urm1) pathway is responsible for the synthesis of 2-thiolated wobble uridine (U34 ). During the key step of the modification cascade, the E1-like activating enzyme ubiquitin-like protein activator 4 (Uba4) first adenylates and thiocarboxylates the C-terminus of its substrate Urm1. Subsequently, activated thiocarboxylated Urm1 (Urm1-COSH) can serve as a sulfur donor for specific tRNA thiolases or participate in ubiquitin-like conjugation reactions. Structural and mechanistic details of Uba4 and Urm1 have remained elusive but are key to understand the evolutionary branch point between ubiquitin-like proteins (UBL) and sulfur-relay systems. Here, we report the crystal structures of full-length Uba4 and its heterodimeric complex with its substrate Urm1. We show how the two domains of Uba4 orchestrate recognition, binding, and thiocarboxylation of the C-terminus of Urm1. Finally, we uncover how the catalytic domains of Uba4 communicate efficiently during the reaction cycle and identify a mechanism that enables Uba4 to protect itself against self-conjugation with its own product, namely activated Urm1-COSH