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A Novel Encryption Algorithm using Skolem Graceful Labeling

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 ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BUSINESS INNOVATION (ICOBI) 2023

A Novel Encryption Algorithm using Skolem Graceful

Labeling

M.D.M.C.P. Weerarathna1*, A.A.I Perera2, and P.G.R.S. Ranasinghe3

1,2,3Department of Mathematics, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 20400, Sri Lanka
chinthakaw@sci.pdn.ac.lk
aaip@sci.pdn.ac.lk
rajithamath@sci.pdn.ac.lk

ABSTRACT format is called encryption while the

Throughout generations, Graph Theory and
Cryptography have gone hand-in-hand as
intriguing subject areas with many real-
world applications in diverse disciplines;
Computer Science, Engineering, Biology,
etc. A graph 𝐺 is defined as a union of a
finite non-empty set of elements called
vertices 𝑉(𝐺), which are associated by a
set of lines called edges, 𝐸(𝐺). In the
present study, Graph Labeling is used to
implement a new Cryptography algorithm
by generating a key from a constructed
polyalphabetic table which is denoted by
(𝐺, 𝑙, 𝑘), where 𝐺, 𝑙, and 𝑘 represent the
Skolem graceful labeled graph, the size of a
block, and the shifting value, respectively.
The Polyalphabetic table was constructed
using the Skolem graph labeling of Lobster
graph 𝐿3 (2,4). Cryptography is the science
of securing information by converting
readable format to unreadable format. The
process of converting a given
reverse process is called decryption. We
encrypt a given message into the ciphertext
using the polyalphabetic table with the help
of the Skolem graceful labeling, and is
converted into the plaintext by using the
decryption algorithm. As a future study, we
are planning to extend this idea to an
encryption and decryption algorithm by
using graph factorizations and different
graph labeling methods.
Keywords - Cryptography, Encryption
algorithm, Decryption algorithm, and
Skolem graceful labeling.
1. INTRODUCTION
Graph Theory is used to solve many real-
world phenomena. In this study, finite
simple graphs are considered to build an
encryption and decryption algorithm. A
simple graph 𝐺 is defined by 𝑉(𝐺) which is
a non-empty finite set of elements called
vertices and 𝐸(𝐺), which is a set of
unordered pair of distinct elements of 𝑉(𝐺)

* Corresponding author – The Department of Mathematics, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

E-mail address: chinthakaw@sci.pdn.ac.lk

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 ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BUSINESS INNOVATION (ICOBI) 2023
called edges. Graph labeling is a notable
technique (Ni at el., 2021) because it is
helpful to solve many applications such as
the radio labeling method can be used to
find best places to establish signal towers.
The Skolem graceful labeling is a prominent
labeling method which was introduced by
S.M. Lee and S.C. Shee following the idea
of Skolem sequence (Lee at el., 1991). A
graph is said to be Skolem graceful graph,
if there exists a function 𝑓 called a Skolem
graceful labeling such that there is a
bijective function 𝑓: 𝑉 ⟶ {1,2, … , |𝑉|} and
the induced labeling 𝑔: 𝐸 ⟶ {1,2, … , |𝐸|}
defined by 𝑔(𝑢𝑣) = |𝑓(𝑢) − 𝑓(𝑣)|, ∀ 𝑢𝑣 ∈
𝐸 is also bijective (Lee at el., 1987).
Cryptology is the art that protects the
confidentiality of messages by creating
codes and solving them. It has two main
areas known as Cryptography and
Cryptanalysis. Cryptography is the method
of protecting information by converting to
unreadable format called ciphertext and this
process is known as encryption. On the
other hand, Cryptoanalysis is an art how to
recover encrypted messages to readable
format by doing complex study. The
original message called as plaintext and the
method to obtain plaintext from ciphertext
is called decryption. Cryptosystems can be
divided into two main sections; symmetric
and asymmetric or private and public, to
maintain consistency. Most of the
symmetric-key algorithms are classical
cryptosystems, in which the sender and the
receiver use the same key to encrypt and
decrypt a message. The cryptography
polyalphabetic method is a famous method
based on substitution of many variables for
the characters in plaintext (Ni at el., 2021).
2
But in public-key cryptography, the sender
encrypts the message using a key which is
called the public key and when the receiver
receives the encrypted message, it can be
decrypted using a secret key called the
private key.
In this study, we encrypt the message into
ciphertext by introducing cryptography
polyalphabetic method by using the
knowledge in graph theory. This method is
developed using Skolem graceful graph
labeling which is a modified version of
graceful labeling method. Here we have
used a special graph Lobster graph 𝐿3 (2,4)
which have a Skolem graceful labeling
(Urnika at el.,2021). In the next section we
explain the method of algorithm in detail
and discuss it using a simple example.
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
2.1 Preliminaries
In this section we provide some
fundamental definitions that are used to the
proposed encryption technique.
2.1.1 A Lobster graph
A regular lobster graph 𝐿𝑛 (𝑞, 𝑟) is lobster
graph with 𝑛 vertices on backbone path,
each of which is connected to 𝑞 hand
vertices, and each hand vertex is connected
to 𝑟 finger vertices, 𝑛 ≥ 2. Figure 1 shows
the lobster graph of 𝐿3 (2,4).
2.1.2 Graceful labeling
A graceful labeling of a graph 𝐺 is a vertex
labeling 𝑓: 𝑉 ⟶ {0,1,2, … , |𝐸|} such that 𝑓
is injective and the edge labeling 𝑔: 𝐸 ⟶
{1,2, … , |𝐸|} defined by 𝑔(𝑢𝑣) =
|𝑓(𝑢) − 𝑓(𝑣)|, ∀ 𝑢𝑣 ∈ 𝐸 is also injective.
 ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BUSINESS INNOVATION (ICOBI) 2023

2.1.3 Skolem graceful labeling

The Skolem graceful labeling of a graph 𝐺 26 31

is a modified version of the graceful = 25 30 =
4 = = 4 32
labeling such that there exists a vertex 27
24 23 4 4 29 30 =
labeling 𝑓: 𝑉 ⟶ {1,2, … , |𝑉|} such that 𝑓 is =
4
4 25 31
injective and the edge labeling 𝑔: 𝐸 ⟶
{1,2, … , |𝐸|} defined by 𝑔(𝑢𝑣) = 28 2 1
26 32 33
|𝑓(𝑢) − 𝑓(𝑣)|, ∀ 𝑢𝑣 ∈ 𝐸 is also bijective. = 27 29 28 =
4 = 4
2.1.4 Encryption and Decryption 9 4 4
8 3
10
The process of encoding an original 14 20 5
13 21
message (plaintext) into ciphertext is called 15 22
19
encryption and the reverse process known
11 12
as decryption. 23 24
18
16 17 6
2.2 Methodology 7

In this section we discuss encryption, 11

decryption algorithms and key generation of
14 5 18 6 19
these algorithms using polyalphabetic 1
13 12
cipher. This cipher is constructed from the 7
Skolem graceful labeling of Lobster graph 2
10 8
15 3 4
𝐿3 (2,4). 9 20

2.2.1 Encryption Algorithm 17 22

16
21
The following steps illustrated the Figure 1. The Skolem graceful labeling method for
algorithm and the construction of the Lobster
polyalphabetic table. graph 𝐿3 (2,4).

Step 1: Urnika, D. A., and Purwanto, (2021).

Label the Lobster graph 𝐿3 (2,4) using the
Skolem graceful labeling. This graph
consists of 33 vertices and 32 edges. The
Skolem graceful labeling of the Lobster
graph 𝐿3 (2,4) is shown in the Figure 1.
Skolem Graceful Labeling of Lobster
Graph 𝐿𝑛 (2, 𝑟). The 4th International
Conference on Mathematics and Science
Education (ICoMSE) 2020, AIP conference
Proceeding 2330, 070014.
Step 2:
Assign letters in the English alphabet to the
numbers on the vertices starting from 1 to
26 in the Lobster graph. After that, remain
vertices numbers transformed to special
characters. Here we have assigned “.”, “−”,
“,”, “(”, “)”, “/” and “?” to the vertex’s

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 ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BUSINESS INNOVATION (ICOBI) 2023

numbers 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33. number 𝑙. The first encoding column is
Similarly, assign letters and special obtained from the letters that are in the
adjacent edges related to each vertex. Next,
characters to the edges in the graph. Note use a shifting key say 𝑘 to shift the letters in
that, since the number of vertices is larger each column vertically.
than the number of edges by one, assign the Step 4:
last two assignments of special characters Finally, using the polyalphabetic table,
convert the original message into the
to the last edge. The symbol “−” represent
ciphertext. Then, send the ciphertext to the
the space between any two words. receiver with the key (𝐺, 𝑙, 𝑘). Here,
𝐺, 𝑙, and 𝑘 represent the Skolem graceful
The following diagram shows the English labeled graph, the number of sizes of the
and special character assignment to the block, and the shifting value respectively.
Lobster graph 𝐿3 (2,4).
Plaintext Ciphertext
a - o b j ? u
b . n c p , t
c u m d q ( s
d t l k w ) r
e s f g x / v
f r e h y - o
g v a i z . n
h o b j ? u m
i n c p , t l
j m d q ( s f
k l k w ) r e
l f g x / v a
m e h y - o b
n a i z . n c
o b j ? u m d
p c p , t l k
q d q ( s f g
r k w ) r e h
s g x / v a i
Figure 2. The English letters and special characters labeling t h y - o b j
method for Lobster graph 𝐿3 (2,4). u i z . n c p
v j ? u m d q
Step 3:
w p , t l k w
Using Figure 2, we construct a table to
x q ( s f g x
obtain the ciphertext. The letters in the first
column in the table is considered as the y w ) r e h y
letters of the plaintext that obtain from z x / v a i z
vertex characters of the graph. Then the . y - o b j ?
message is divided into equal number of - z . n c p ,
blocks of the same size (𝑙). If the size of , ? u m d q (
the block is less than l, then add "/" to ( , t l k w )
complete the required size of the block. The ) ( s f g x /
number of encoding columns in the / ) r e h y -
polyalphabetic table are equal to the

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 ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BUSINESS INNOVATION (ICOBI) 2023
? / v a i z
Table 1. The polyalphabetic ciphertext for
the key (𝐿3 (2,4), 6,7).
2.2.2 Decryption Algorithm
Step 1:
According to the key, identify the terms in
(𝐺, 𝑙, 𝑘). Then assign characters according
to the second step in the encryption
algorithm.
Step 2:
Construct the polyalphabetic table using the
values 𝑙 and 𝑘.
Step 3:
Finally, find the suitable letters from the
constructed table and then the ciphertext
can be converted into the plaintext.
3. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
In this study, a developed encryption
algorithm is introduced using the labeling
method known as Skolem graceful labeling
in Graph Theory. The method is described
using the plaintext “The Department of
Mathematics. (UOP)”.
First, substitute “-” symbol for spaces in
your plaintext and divide it into size 6 equal
blocks. Then 𝑙 = 6.
The-Department-of-Mathematics.-(UOP)
The-De partme nt-of-
Mathem atics. -(UOP)
Table 2. 6 equal blocks with size 6 for the
plaintext “The Department of Mathematics
(UOP)”.
Construct a polyalphabetic table according
to the first three steps in encryption
algorithm considering the Skolem graceful
labeling of 𝐿3 (2,4). When 𝑘 = 7, the table
can be obtained as shown in table 1. Finally
convert it into the ciphertext.
hosztf c-khes ahzbr.
. e-hosh -hnug z,ibc(
Table 3. 6 equal blocks with size 6 for the
ciphertext.
Therefore, the ciphertext is “hosztfc-
khesahzbr.e-hosh-hnugz,ibc(”.
4. CONCLUSION
Cryptography is used to transmit data in a
secure manner. Encryption algorithms are
used to transform any given message from
readable format to unreadable format and
decryption algorithm is used to recover
them. In this study, we have introduced
symmetric key encryption and decryption
algorithm by using graph labelling concepts
with generating a key for the ciphertext.
Two different methods were used to
construct a polyalphabetic table. First, using
the Skolem graceful labeled graph,
construct the polyalphabetic table by
dividing the plaintext into equal number of
blocks of the same size (𝑙). When the table
is constructed, identify the terms 𝐺, and
term 𝑘 that helps to generate key. Then,
convert the plaintext into the cihpertext and
send it to the receiver with the key (𝐺, 𝑙, 𝑘).
In future, we are trying to extend the
present study for an encryption algorithm
by using graph factorizations and different
graph labeling methods to obtain the
ciphertext.
5
 ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BUSINESS INNOVATION (ICOBI) 2023

REFERENCES
Lee, S.M., and Shee,S.C.(1991).On Skolem graceful
graphs. Discrete Math. 93, 195-200.
Lee, S.M., and Wui,I.(1987).Skolem gracefulness of
2-stars and 3-stars.Bulletin of Malaysian Math.
Society, 10, 15-20.
Ni, B., Qazi, R., Rehman, S. U., and Farid, G. (2021).
Some Graph-Based Encryption
Schemes.Hindawi Journal of Mathematics, 1-8.
Pasaribu, M., Yundari, and Ilyas, M. (2021). Graceful
Labeling and Skolem Graceful Labeling on the
U-star Graph and It’s Application in
Cryptography.Jambura Journal of Mathematics,
Jambura J. Math. Vol. 3, pp.103-114.
Sakthivel, S., and Karpagam, T. R. (2017). Prime
Labeling of Some New Standard Graphs. Paripex
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Thennakoon,T. R. D. S. M., Weerarathna, M. D. M. C.
P., and Perera,A. A. I., (2020).Prime Labeling of
Newly Constructed Graph Using Star Graphs and
Complete Bipartite Graphs.Sumerianz Journal of
Scientific Research, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 10-17.
Urnika, D. A., and Purwanto, (2021). Skolem Graceful
Labeling of Lobster Graph 𝐿𝑛 (2, 𝑟). The 4th
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