S-box

For the video game, see Sandbox (video game).

In cryptography, an S-box (substitution-box) is a basic component of symmetric key algorithms which performs substitution. In block ciphers, they are typically used to obscure the relationship between the key and the ciphertext, thus ensuring Shannon's property of confusion. Mathematically, an S-box is a nonlinear[1] vectorial Boolean function.[2]

In general, an S-box takes some number of input bits, m, and transforms them into some number of output bits, n, where n is not necessarily equal to m.[3] An m×n S-box can be implemented as a lookup table with 2m words of n bits each. Fixed tables are normally used, as in the Data Encryption Standard (DES), but in some ciphers the tables are generated dynamically from the key (e.g. the Blowfish and the Twofish encryption algorithms).

  1. ^ Daemen & Rijmen 2013, p. 22.
  2. ^ Carlet, Claude (2010), Hammer, Peter L.; Crama, Yves (eds.), "Vectorial Boolean Functions for Cryptography", Boolean Models and Methods in Mathematics, Computer Science, and Engineering, Encyclopedia of Mathematics and its Applications, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 398–470, ISBN 978-0-521-84752-0, retrieved 2021-04-30
  3. ^ Chandrasekaran, J.; et al. (2011). "A Chaos Based Approach for Improving Non Linearity in the S-box Design of Symmetric Key Cryptosystems". In Meghanathan, N.; et al. (eds.). Advances in Networks and Communications: First International Conference on Computer Science and Information Technology, CCSIT 2011, Bangalore, India, January 2-4, 2011. Proceedings, Part 2. Springer. p. 516. ISBN 978-3-642-17877-1.