New Advances in Coding Theory and Cryptography, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Mathematics (ISSN 2227-7390). This special issue belongs to the section "Computational and Applied Mathematics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2025 | Viewed by 7278

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Cyberspace Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
Interests: Internet of Things (IoT) security; applied cryptography; network security; computer security
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
School of Computer Science and Information Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, ‎Anhui‎ 230601, China
Interests: security; privacy; applied cryptography; blockchain
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Computer Science and Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
Interests: authentication; identification; privacy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the rapid development of information technology and advanced communications, new threats and malicious attackers have rapidly emerged, bringing serious challenges in the cybersecurity domain. Consequently, coding theory and cryptography have become common and indispensable to tackle security problems in both the academic and industrial communities.

Recent years have witnessed a proliferation of powerful coding and cryptographic algorithms, protocols, and systems which combine with promising technologies, including artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, digital twins, edge computing, etc. It is conducive for academic researchers and industry practitioners to exchange new ideas and discuss increasing technology convergence.

This Special Issue welcomes contributions from theory to practice and aims to publish high-quality and original research papers on various technologies for secure computing and communication. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Homomorphic encryption and attribute-based encryption;
  • Zero knowledge proofs and secure multiparty computation;
  • Authentication and key exchange;
  • Lattice theory and its applications;
  • Blockchain-based secure communication systems;
  • Cloud security and privacy;
  • Trustworthy digital twins in industrial IoT systems;
  • Federated learning in edge computing;
  • Vulnerabilities, attacks, and defenses;
  • Privacy-preserving machine learning.

Prof. Dr. Liehuang Zhu
Dr. Meng Li
Dr. Zijian Zhang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • encryption
  • verifiable computing
  • cryptographic protocols
  • coding theory
  • blockchain
  • cloud security
  • digital twins
  • edge computing
  • threat and attack
  • machine learning

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 11976 KiB  
Article
Synchronization of Chaotic Extremum-Coded Random Number Generators and Its Application to Segmented Image Encryption
by Shunsuke Araki, Ji-Han Wu and Jun-Juh Yan
Mathematics 2024, 12(19), 2983; https://doi.org/10.3390/math12192983 - 25 Sep 2024
Viewed by 464
Abstract
This paper proposes a highly secure image encryption technique based on chaotic synchronization. Firstly, through the design of a synchronization controller, we ensure that the master–slave chaotic extremum-coded random number generators (ECRNGs) embedded in separated transmitters and receivers are fully synchronized to provide [...] Read more.
This paper proposes a highly secure image encryption technique based on chaotic synchronization. Firstly, through the design of a synchronization controller, we ensure that the master–slave chaotic extremum-coded random number generators (ECRNGs) embedded in separated transmitters and receivers are fully synchronized to provide synchronized dynamic random sequences for image encryption applications. Next, combining these synchronized chaotic sequences with the AES encryption algorithm, we propose an image segmentation and multi-encryption method to enhance the security of encrypted images and realize a secure image transmission system. Notably, in the design of the synchronization controller, the transient time before complete synchronization between the master and slave ECRNGs is effectively controlled by specifying the eigenvalues of the matrix in the synchronization error dynamics. Research results in this paper also show that complete synchronization of ECRNGs can be achieved within a single sampling time, which significantly contributes to the time efficiency of the image transmission system. As for the image encryption technique, we propose the method of image segmentation and use the synchronized dynamic random sequences generated by the ECRNGs to produce the keys and initialization vectors (IVs) required for AES-CBC image encryption, greatly enhancing the security of the encrypted images. To highlight the contribution of the proposed segmented image encryption, statistical analyses are conducted on the encrypted images, including histogram analysis (HA), information entropy (IE), correlation coefficient analysis (CCA), number of pixels change rate (NPCR), and unified average changing intensity (UACI), and compared with existing literature. The comparative results fully demonstrate that the proposed encryption method significantly enhances image encryption performance. Finally, under the network transmission control protocol (TCP), the synchronization of ECRNGs, dynamic keys, and IVs is implemented as well as segmented image encryption and transmission, and a highly secure image transmission system is realized to validate the practicality and feasibility of our design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Coding Theory and Cryptography, 2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 690 KiB  
Article
A Privacy-Preserving Electromagnetic-Spectrum-Sharing Trading Scheme Based on ABE and Blockchain
by Xing Pu, Ruixian Wang and Xin Lu
Mathematics 2024, 12(18), 2908; https://doi.org/10.3390/math12182908 - 18 Sep 2024
Viewed by 511
Abstract
The electromagnetic spectrum is a limited resource. With the widespread application of the electromagnetic spectrum in various fields, the contradiction between the demand for the electromagnetic spectrum and electromagnetic spectrum resources has become increasingly prominent. Spectrum sharing is an effective way to improve [...] Read more.
The electromagnetic spectrum is a limited resource. With the widespread application of the electromagnetic spectrum in various fields, the contradiction between the demand for the electromagnetic spectrum and electromagnetic spectrum resources has become increasingly prominent. Spectrum sharing is an effective way to improve the utilization of the electromagnetic spectrum. However, there are many challenges in existing distributed electromagnetic spectrum trading based on blockchain technology. Since a blockchain does not provide privacy protection, the risk of privacy leakage during the trading process makes electromagnetic spectrum owners unwilling to share. In addition, a blockchain only guarantees integrity, and the imperfect trading dispute resolution mechanism causes electromagnetic spectrum owners to be afraid to share. Therefore, we propose a privacy-preserving electromagnetic-spectrum-sharing trading scheme based on blockchain and ABE. The scheme not only designs an ABE fine-grained access control model in ciphertext form but also constructs a re-encryption algorithm that supports trading arbitration to achieve privacy protection for electromagnetic spectrum trading. Finally, we experimentally evaluated the efficiency of the proposed electromagnetic spectrum trading scheme. The experimental results show that the electromagnetic spectrum trading scheme we propose was highly efficient. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Coding Theory and Cryptography, 2nd Edition)
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20 pages, 1756 KiB  
Article
Quantum Attacks on MIBS Block Cipher Based on Bernstein–Vazirani Algorithm
by Huiqin Xie, Zhangmei Zhao, Ke Wang, Yanjun Li and Hongcai Xin
Mathematics 2024, 12(17), 2678; https://doi.org/10.3390/math12172678 - 28 Aug 2024
Viewed by 693
Abstract
Because of the substantial progress in quantum computing technology, the safety of traditional cryptologic schemes is facing serious challenges. In this study, we explore the quantum safety of the lightweight cipher MIBS and propose quantum key-recovery attacks on the MIBS cipher by utilizing [...] Read more.
Because of the substantial progress in quantum computing technology, the safety of traditional cryptologic schemes is facing serious challenges. In this study, we explore the quantum safety of the lightweight cipher MIBS and propose quantum key-recovery attacks on the MIBS cipher by utilizing Grover’s algorithm and Bernstein–Vazirani algorithm. We first construct linear-structure functions based on the 5-round MIBS cipher according to the characteristics of the linear transformations, and then we obtain a quantum distinguisher of the 5-round MIBS cipher by applying Bernstein–Vazirani algorithm to the constructed functions. Finally, utilizing this distinguisher and Grover’s algorithm, we realize a 7-round key-recovery attack on the MIBS cipher, and then we expand the attack to more rounds of MIBS based on a similar idea. The quantum attack on the 7-round MIBS requires 156 qubits and has a time complexity of 210.5. An 8-round attack requires 179 qubits and has a time complexity of 222. Compared with existing quantum attacks, our attacks have better time complexity when attacking the same number of rounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Coding Theory and Cryptography, 2nd Edition)
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26 pages, 1279 KiB  
Article
Quantum Automated Tools for Finding Impossible Differentials
by Huiqin Xie, Qiqing Xia, Ke Wang, Yanjun Li and Li Yang
Mathematics 2024, 12(16), 2598; https://doi.org/10.3390/math12162598 - 22 Aug 2024
Viewed by 567
Abstract
Due to the superiority of quantum computing, traditional cryptography is facing a severe threat. This makes the security evaluation of cryptographic systems in quantum attack models both significant and urgent. For symmetric ciphers, the security analysis heavily relies on cryptanalysis tools. Thus, exploring [...] Read more.
Due to the superiority of quantum computing, traditional cryptography is facing a severe threat. This makes the security evaluation of cryptographic systems in quantum attack models both significant and urgent. For symmetric ciphers, the security analysis heavily relies on cryptanalysis tools. Thus, exploring the use of quantum algorithms in traditional cryptanalysis tools has garnered considerable attention. In this study, we utilize quantum algorithms to improve impossible differential attacks and design two quantum automated tools to search for impossible differentials. The proposed quantum algorithms exploit the idea of miss-in-the-middle and the properties of truncated differentials. We rigorously prove their validity and calculate the quantum resources required for their implementation. Compared to the existing classical automated cryptanalysis, the proposed quantum tools have the advantage of accurately characterizing S-boxes while only requiring polynomial complexity, and can take into consideration the impact of the key schedules in a single-key model. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Coding Theory and Cryptography, 2nd Edition)
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24 pages, 6335 KiB  
Article
A Dynamic Behavior Verification Method for Composite Smart Contracts Based on Model Checking
by Jun Jin, Wenhao Zhan, Haisheng Li, Yi Ding and Jie Li
Mathematics 2024, 12(15), 2431; https://doi.org/10.3390/math12152431 - 5 Aug 2024
Viewed by 661
Abstract
A composite smart contract can execute smart contracts that may belong to other owners or companies through external calls, bringing more security challenges to blockchain applications. Traditional static verification methods are inadequate for analyzing the dynamic execution of these contracts, resulting in misjudgment [...] Read more.
A composite smart contract can execute smart contracts that may belong to other owners or companies through external calls, bringing more security challenges to blockchain applications. Traditional static verification methods are inadequate for analyzing the dynamic execution of these contracts, resulting in misjudgment and omission issues. Therefore, this paper proposes a model checking approach based on dynamic behavior that verifies the security and business logic of composite smart contracts. Utilizing automata, the method models contracts, users, attackers, and extracts properties, focusing on six types of common security vulnerabilities. A thorough case study and experimental evaluation demonstrate the method’s efficiency in identifying vulnerabilities and ensuring alignment with business requirements. The UPPAAL tool is employed for comprehensive verification, proving its effectiveness in enhancing smart contract security. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Coding Theory and Cryptography, 2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 2670 KiB  
Article
Research on Smart Contract Verification and Generation Method Based on BPMN
by Jun Jin, Le Yan, Yidan Zou, Jie Li and Zhen Yu
Mathematics 2024, 12(14), 2158; https://doi.org/10.3390/math12142158 - 10 Jul 2024
Viewed by 945
Abstract
The post-deployment challenges in developing and upgrading blockchain smart contracts necessitate a high level of accuracy in their development and business logic. However, current methodologies for verifying the business logic of smart contracts frequently fail to address their alignment with end-user business requirements. [...] Read more.
The post-deployment challenges in developing and upgrading blockchain smart contracts necessitate a high level of accuracy in their development and business logic. However, current methodologies for verifying the business logic of smart contracts frequently fail to address their alignment with end-user business requirements. This paper introduces a two-step language transformation process to bridge this gap. Initially, we establish a transformation rule from the Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) to Prolog, enabling the translation of business processes into a Prolog representation. This step not only validates the business process logic but also ensures it meets user specifications. Subsequently, we introduce a transformation rule from the BPMN to Go, which facilitates the transformation of the BPMN model, once validated, into a Go language smart contract. To enhance usability, we have engineered a dedicated tool that streamlines this transformation process. We present a case study involving a banking loan process to exemplify the utility of our tool in creating BPMN diagrams, conducting requirement and syntax validations, and effecting the transformation to Go smart contracts. The case study and empirical results suggest that our methodology and the accompanying tool mitigate the complexities inherent in smart contract development. They also ensure the fidelity of business logic to user demands, thereby promoting the broader adoption of blockchain smart contract technology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Coding Theory and Cryptography, 2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 1358 KiB  
Article
Adaptive Parallel Scheduling Scheme for Smart Contract
by Wenjin Yang, Meng Ao, Jing Sun, Guoan Wang, Yongxuan Li, Chunhai Li and Zhuguang Shao
Mathematics 2024, 12(9), 1347; https://doi.org/10.3390/math12091347 - 29 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1014
Abstract
With the increasing demand for decentralized systems and the widespread usage of blockchain, low throughput and high latency have become the biggest stumbling blocks in the development of blockchain systems. This problem seriously hinders the expansion of blockchain and its application in production. [...] Read more.
With the increasing demand for decentralized systems and the widespread usage of blockchain, low throughput and high latency have become the biggest stumbling blocks in the development of blockchain systems. This problem seriously hinders the expansion of blockchain and its application in production. Most existing smart contract scheduling solutions use static feature analysis to prevent contract conflicts during parallel execution. However, the conflicts between transactions are complex; static feature analysis is not accurate enough. In this paper, we first build the dependency between smart contracts by analyzing the features. After numerous experiments, we propose a conflict model to adjust the relationship between threads and conflict to achieve high throughput and low latency. Based on these works, we propose adaptive parallel scheduling for smart contracts on the blockchain. Our adaptive parallel scheduling can distinguish conflicts between smart contracts and dynamically adjust the execution strategy of smart contracts based on the conflict factors we define. We implement our scheme on ChainMaker, one of the most popular open-source permissioned blockchains, and build experiments to verify our solution. Regarding latency, our solution demonstrates remarkable efficiency compared with the fully parallel scheme, particularly in high-conflict transaction scenarios, where our solution achieves latency levels just one-twentieth of the fully parallel scheme. Regarding throughput, our solution significantly outperforms the fully parallel scheme, achieving 30 times higher throughput in high-conflict transaction scenarios. These results highlight the superior performance and effectiveness of our solution in addressing latency and throughput challenges, particularly in environments with high transaction conflicts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Coding Theory and Cryptography, 2nd Edition)
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14 pages, 631 KiB  
Article
BNS: A Detection System to Find Nodes in the Bitcoin Network
by Ruiguang Li, Liehuang Zhu, Chao Li, Fudong Wu and Dawei Xu
Mathematics 2023, 11(24), 4885; https://doi.org/10.3390/math11244885 - 6 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1579
Abstract
Bitcoin was launched over a decade ago and has made an increasing impact on the world’s financial order, which has attracted the attention of researchers all over the world. The Bitcoin system runs on a dynamic P2P network, containing tens of thousands of [...] Read more.
Bitcoin was launched over a decade ago and has made an increasing impact on the world’s financial order, which has attracted the attention of researchers all over the world. The Bitcoin system runs on a dynamic P2P network, containing tens of thousands of nodes, including reachable nodes and unreachable nodes. In this article, a detection system, BNS (Bitcoin Network Sniffer), which could collect as many Bitcoin nodes as possible is proposed. For reachable nodes, the authors designed an algorithm, BRF (Bitcoin Reachable-Nodes Finding), based on node activity evaluation which reduces the nodes to be detected and greatly shortens the detection time. For unreachable nodes, the authors trained a decision tree model, BUF (Bitcoin Unreachable-Nodes Finding), to identify unreachable nodes based on attribute features from a large number of node addresses. Experiments showed that BNS discovered an average of 1093 more reachable nodes (6.4%) and 662 more unreachable nodes (2.3%) than the well-known website “Bitnodes” per day. It showed better performance in total nodes and efficiency. Based on the experimental results, the authors analyzed the real network size, node “churn”, and geographical distribution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Coding Theory and Cryptography, 2nd Edition)
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