Hacking of the AES with Boolean Functions
This work addresses the problem of breaking AES encryption for cryptographers, but it is incremental as it builds on existing algebraic methods with a novel representation.
The paper tackles the cryptanalysis of the AES algorithm by describing it as a set of Boolean functions and using Möbius transforms to derive algebraic normal forms, resulting in a new, more easily implementable system of equations that could open new avenues for cryptanalysis.
One of the major issues of cryptography is the cryptanalysis of cipher algorithms. Cryptanalysis is the study of methods for obtaining the meaning of encrypted information, without access to the secret information that is normally required. Some mechanisms for breaking codes include differential cryptanalysis, advanced statistics and brute-force. Recent works also attempt to use algebraic tools to reduce the cryptanalysis of a block cipher algorithm to the resolution of a system of quadratic equations describing the ciphering structure. In our study, we will also use algebraic tools but in a new way: by using Boolean functions and their properties. A Boolean function is a function from $F_2^n\to F_2$ with $n>1$, characterized by its truth table. The arguments of Boolean functions are binary words of length $n$. Any Boolean function can be represented, uniquely, by its algebraic normal form which is an equation which only contains additions modulo 2 - the XOR function - and multiplications modulo 2 - the AND function. Our aim is to describe the AES algorithm as a set of Boolean functions then calculate their algebraic normal forms by using the Möbius transforms. After, we use a specific representation for these equations to facilitate their analysis and particularly to try a combinatorial analysis. Through this approach we obtain a new kind of equations system. This equations system is more easily implementable and could open new ways to cryptanalysis.