Analysis of RC4 and Proposal of Additional Layers for Better Security Margin

Subhamoy Maitra; Goutam Paul

Paper 2008/396

Analysis of RC4 and Proposal of Additional Layers for Better Security Margin

Subhamoy Maitra and Goutam Paul

Abstract

In this paper, the RC4 Key Scheduling Algorithm (KSA) is theoretically studied to reveal non-uniformity in the expected number of times each value of the permutation is touched by the indices $i, j$. Based on our analysis and the results available in literature regarding the existing weaknesses of RC4, few additional layers over the RC4 KSA and RC4 Pseudo-Random Generation Algorithm (PRGA) are proposed. Analysis of the modified cipher (we call it RC4$^+$) shows that this new strategy avoids existing weaknesses of RC4.

Metadata

Available format(s): PDF
Category: Secret-key cryptography
Publication info: Published elsewhere. INDOCRYPT 2008
Keywords: Bias Cryptography Keystream KSA PRGA RC4 Secret Key Stream Cipher
Contact author(s): goutam k paul @ gmail com
History: 2011-11-03: revised; 2008-09-23: received; See all versions
Short URL: https://ia.cr/2008/396
License: CC BY

BibTeX

@misc{cryptoeprint:2008/396,
      author = {Subhamoy Maitra and Goutam Paul},
      title = {Analysis of {RC4} and Proposal of Additional Layers for Better Security Margin},
      howpublished = {Cryptology {ePrint} Archive, Paper 2008/396},
      year = {2008},
      url = {https://eprint.iacr.org/2008/396}
}