DBST: a lightweight block cipher based on dynamic S-box

Abstract

IoT devices have been widely used with the advent of 5G. These devices contain a large amount of private data during transmission. It is primely important for ensuring their security. Therefore, we proposed a lightweight block cipher based on dynamic S-box named DBST. It is introduced for devices with limited hardware resources and high throughput requirements. DBST is a 128-bit block cipher supporting 64-bit key, which is based on a new generalized Feistel variant structure. It retains the consistency and significantly boosts the diffusion of the traditional Feistel structure. The SubColumns of round function is implemented by combining bit-slice technology with subkeys. The S-box is dynamically associated with the key. It has been demonstrated that DBST has a good avalanche effect, low hardware area, and high throughput. Our S-box has been proven to have fewer differential features than RECTANGLE S-box. The security analysis of DBST reveals that it can against impossible differential attack, differential attack, linear attack, and other types of attacks.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

internet of things / 5G / dynamic S-box / bit-slice technology / lightweight block cipher

Liuyan Yan was admitted to Hengyang Normal University, China in 2019 and is currently studying for a bachelor’s degree at Hengyang Normal University, China. Since 2020, her research interests includes embedded systems and information security

Lang Li received his PhD and Master’s degrees in computer science from Hunan University, China in 2010 and 2006, respectively, and earned his BS degree in circuits and systems from Hunan Normal University, China in 1996. Since 2011, he has been working as a professor in the College of Computer Science and Technology at the Hengyang Normal University, China. His research interests include embedded computing and information security

Ying Guo received the BS degree from Hengyang Normal University, China in 2019 and she is currently working toward a Master’s degree in Hengyang Normal University, China. Since 2019, her current research interests include embedded systems and information security

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Scientific Research Fund of Hunan Provincial Education Department (19A072), the Science and Technology Innovation Program of Hunan Province (2016TP1020), Application-oriented Special Disciplines, Double First-Class University Project of Hunan Province (Xiangjiaotong [2018] 469), Hengyang Normal University Training Programs of Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Undergraduates (cxcy2021011), and Hunan Provincial Training Programs of Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Undergraduates (S202110546017).

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