CEN 442

Computer and Network Security

Chapter 4
Block Ciphers and DES
Computer Engineering Department
College of Computer and Information Sciences
King Saud University
Block Ciphers
◼ Encrypt data one block at a time
◼ Used in broader range of applications
◼ Typical block size 64 – 128 bits
◼ Most algorithms based on a structure
referred to as Feistel block cipher

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Block Ciphers
◼ Input: a plaintext block of n bits
◼ Output: a ciphertext block of n bits
◼ 2n possible plaintext blocks
◼ 2n! possible mapping between plaintext
and ciphertext
◼ Reversible/nonsingular encryption
 Each has unique ciphertext
◼ Irreversible/singular
 More than one plaintext → same ciphertext
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Reversible VS Irreversible
Reversible Mapping Irreversible Mapping
Plaintext Ciphertext Plaintext Ciphertext
00 11 00 11
01 10 01 10
10 00 10 01
11 01 11 01

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Ideal Block Cipher

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Ideal Block Cipher
Encryption Table Decryption Table

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Key Length for the Ideal
Block Cipher
◼ In previous example, key is mapping
◼ Key length 16 × 4 bits = 64 bits
 i.e., concatenate all bits of ciphertext table
◼ In general, key length is 2n × n
◼ Actual block size is at least 64 bits
◼ Key length will be 264 × 64 ≈ 1021 bits

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Block Ciphers are built on Iteration
Key 𝑘
Key expansion

𝑘1 𝑘2 𝑘3 𝑘n

𝒎 𝑚1 𝑚2 𝑚3 𝒄
𝑹(𝒌𝟏 , . ) 𝑹(𝒌𝟐 , . ) 𝑹(𝒌𝟑 , . ) 𝑹(𝒌𝒏 , . )

◼ R(k,m) is called a round function

 Rounds in 3DES → 48
 Rounds in AES-128 → 10
Feistel Cipher
◼ Build strong cipher that alternates
substitutions & permutations
◼ Key length k, block length n
◼ 2k possible transformations,
rather than 2n!
◼ Practical application of a product cipher
that alternates confusion and diffusion
functions

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Substitution vs. Permutation
◼ Substitution: Each plaintext element is
uniquely replaced by a corresponding
ciphertext element.
◼ Permutation: a sequence of plaintext
elements is replaced by a permutation of
that sequence. That is, no elements are
added or deleted or replaced.

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Diffusion
◼ Each plaintext digit affects the value of
many ciphertext digits
◼ Ciphertext has nearly equal letter
frequency compared to plaintext
◼ Achieved by multiple permutations
followed by applying a function

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Confusion
◼ Maximize complexity of the relation
between key and ciphertext statistics
◼ Achieved by using complex substitution
algorithms

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Feistel Cipher Structure
◼ Input
 plaintext block of length 2w
 key K
◼ Plaintext block divided to LE0, RE0
◼ Pass thru n rounds of processing
◼ Each round i has
 LEi-1,
REi-1 derived from previous round
 subkey Ki derived from overall K
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 Output (plaintext)

RD17 = LE0 LD17 = RE0

Input (plaintext)
LE0 RE0 LD16 = RE0 RD16 = LE0

Round 16
Round 1
F K1

F K1

LE1 RE1 LD15 = RE1 RD15 = LE1

Round 15
Round 2
F K2

F K2
Feistel Cipher Structure
LE2 RE2 LD14 = RE2 RD14 = LE2

LE14 RE14 LD2 = RE14 RD2 = LE14

Round 15

Round 2
F K15

F K15

Round 16 LE15 RE15 LD1 = RE15 RD1 = LE15

Round 1
F K16

F K16

LE16 RE16 LD0 = RE16 RD0 = LE16

Input (ciphertext)

LE17 RE17
Output (ciphertext)

Figure 3.3 Feistel Encryption and Decryption (16 rounds)

Feistel Cipher Structure
◼ Substitution performed to left half
 apply round function F to right half
 take XOR of output with left half
 F is parameterized by round subkey Ki

◼ Permutation of left and right halves

 interchange left and right halves

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Feistel Decryption Algorithm
◼ Ciphertext is used as input
◼ Use subkeys Ki in reverse order
◼ Same algorithm is used
◼ Notation
 LEi : left half in encryption algorithm
 REi : right half in encryption algorithm
 LDi : left half in decryption algorithm
 RDi : right half in decryption algorithm
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Feistel Network & Inverse

n bits
◼ 𝑅𝑖 = ? , 𝐿𝑖 = ? 𝑅𝑖−1 𝑅𝑖

◼ 𝑅𝑖 = 𝑓𝑖 𝑅𝑖−1 ⊕ 𝐿𝑖−1
𝒇𝐢

n bits
𝐿𝑖−1 𝐿𝑖
◼ 𝐿𝑖 = 𝑅𝑖−1 ⊕

◼ Inverse?
Feistel Network & Inverse

n bits
◼ 𝑅𝑖 = ? , 𝐿𝑖 = ? 𝑅𝑖−1 𝑅𝑖

◼ 𝑅𝑖 = 𝑓𝑖 𝑅𝑖−1 ⊕ 𝐿𝑖−1 𝒇𝐢

n bits
◼ 𝐿𝑖 = 𝑅𝑖−1 𝐿𝑖−1 𝐿𝑖
⊕

◼ Inverse? ⊕

n bits
𝑅𝑖+1 𝑅𝑖
◼ 𝑅𝑖 = ? , 𝐿𝑖 = ? 𝒇𝐢+𝟏
n bits
◼ 𝑅𝑖 = 𝐿𝑖+1 𝐿𝑖+1 𝐿𝑖
◼ 𝐿𝑖 = 𝑅𝑖+1 ⊕ 𝑓𝑖+1 (𝐿𝑖+1 )
 Feistel Example
Encryption round Decryption round

F(03A6, 12DE52)
[F(03A6, 12DE52) DE7F]
DE7F 03A6 03A6 = DE7F
Round 15

Round 2
F 12DE52

F 12DE52

03A6 F(03A6, 12DE52) DE7F F(03A6, 12DE52) DE7F 03A6

Figure 3.4 Feistel Example

Design Parameters
◼ Block size
 larger: greater security (diffusion)
 smaller: faster encryption, decryption
 typical: 64 bit, 128 bit AES

◼ Key size
 larger: greater security (brute-force resist)
 smaller: faster encryption, decryption
 typical: 128 bit
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Design Parameters
◼ Number of rounds
 multiple rounds increase security
 typical: 16

◼ Subkey generation algorithm

 complexity makes cryptanalysis difficult
◼ Round function
 complexity makes cryptanalysis difficult

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Data Encryption Standard (DES)
◼ Issued in 1977 by the National Bureau of
Standards (now NIST)
◼ Was the most widely used encryption scheme
until the introduction of the Advanced
Encryption Standard (AES) in 2001
◼ Algorithm itself is referred to as the Data
Encryption Algorithm (DEA)
 Data are encrypted in 64-bit blocks using a 56-bit
key
 The algorithm transforms 64-bit input in a series
of steps into a 64-bit output
 The same steps, with the same key, are used to
reverse the encryption
DES Encryption
◼ 64-bit plaintext block
◼ 56-bit key
◼ Exact structure as Feistel except
 initialpermutation of plaintext
 final permutation of last round’s output

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DES Security
◼ 1977
 estimated brute-force attack
 cost: ~ $20 million Must be able to
recognize plaintext!
 time: ~ 10 hours
◼ 1998
 DES definitely proved insecure
 EFF designed “DES Cracker”
 cost: < $250,000
 time: < 3 days
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Avalanche Effect
◼ Small change in P → large change in C
◼ 1 bit change in P/K → many bit change in C
◼ Makes cryptanalysis more difficult
◼ DES exhibits strong avalanche effect

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Avalanche Effect – Example
◼ Two plaintexts used, with 1 bit difference
 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

 10000000 00000000 00000000 00000000

00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
◼ Key
 0000001 1001011 0100100 1100010 0011100
0011000 0011100 0110010
◼ After 3 rounds, 21 bits differ
◼ On completion, 34 bits differ
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Avalanche Effect – Example
◼ Single plaintext
 01101000 10000101 00101111 01111010
00010011 01110110 11101011 10100100
◼ Two keys, with 1 bit difference
 1110010 1111011 1101111 0011000
0011101 0000100 0110001 11011100

 0110010 1111011 1101111 0011000

0011101 0000100 0110001 11011100
◼ After 4 rounds, 32 bits differ
◼ On completion, 35 bits differ
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Avalanche Effect – Example

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Reading Assignment
◼ Textbook
 chapter 4
◼ 4.1, 4.2, 4.3

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