Differential Cryptanalysis
Differential cryptanalysis is a method for attacking the security of a cryptographic algorithm by analyzing the differences in the output of the algorithm for pairs of related inputs. It was introduced by Biham and Shamir in 1990 and has since become a widely used technique for evaluating the security of various types of ciphers.
To give a simple example, suppose we have a cipher that takes in a plaintext message and a key and produces an encrypted message (also known as the ciphertext). If we know the plaintext and the ciphertext for two related messages (i.e., messages that differ in only a few bits), we can compare the differences between the ciphertexts. By analyzing these differences, we might be able to figure out some information about the key that was used to encrypt the messages.
Linear cryptanalysis
Linear cryptanalysis is a method for trying to break an encryption algorithm by looking for patterns in the encrypted data that can reveal information about the original (plaintext) data or the key being used. It does this by creating a system of linear equations that represents the relationships between the input and output of the cipher. By solving this system of equations, the cryptanalyst can try to recover the key or the plaintext data.
To give a simple example, suppose we have a cipher that takes in a plaintext message and a key and produces an encrypted message (also known as the ciphertext). If we know the plaintext and the ciphertext for a particular message, we can create a system of linear equations that represents the relationships between these two pieces of information. By solving this system of equations, we might be able to figure out the key that was used to encrypt the message.
Linear cryptanalysis is a complex topic, and this is just a very simplified explanation. In practice, it is often difficult to apply linear cryptanalysis to real-world ciphers, as the ciphers are usually designed to be resistant to this type of attack. However, it is still an important technique for cryptanalysts to understand and consider when evaluating the security of a cipher.
What is the main difference between differential and linear cryptanalysis?
The main difference between differential and linear cryptanalysis is the way in which they analyze the output of a cipher in order to find weaknesses or vulnerabilities that can be exploited to break the encryption.
In differential cryptanalysis, the cryptanalyst examines the output of the cipher for pairs of related inputs (i.e., inputs that differ in only a few bits) and compares the differences between the corresponding ciphertexts. By analyzing these differences, the cryptanalyst can try to recover information about the key or the plaintext data.
In contrast, linear cryptanalysis involves building a system of linear equations that represents the relationships between the input and output of the cipher. The cryptanalyst then solves this system of equations in order to try to recover the key or the plaintext data.