New results on quantum boomerang attacks

Paul Frixons, María Naya‐Plasencia, André Schrottenloher

Song Yuan Yan

Huiqin Xie, Li Yang

In order to design quantum-safe block ciphers, it is crucial to investigate the application of quantum algorithms to cryptographic analysis tools. In this study, we use the Bernstein–Vazirani algorithm to enhance truncated differential cryptanalysis and boomerang cryptanalysis. We first propose a quantum algorithm for finding truncated differentials, then rigorously prove that the output truncated differentials must have high differential probability for the vast majority of keys in the key space. Subsequently, based on this algorithm, we design a quantum algorithm for finding boomerang distinguishers. The quantum circuits of the two proposed quantum algorithms contain only polynomial quantum gates and qubits. Compared with classical tools for searching truncated differentials or boomerang distinguishers, the proposed algorithms can maintain the polynomial complexity while fully considering the impact of S-boxes and key scheduling.

Jakub Janarek

In this thesis, we theoretically and numerically investigate the quantum boomerang effect - i.e. the return of a wave packet launched with a nonzero velocity to its initial position - in ultra-cold disordered atomic gases. We address three main problems. We study the effect of the time-reversal symmetry breaking on the existence of the quantum boomerang phenomenon. We show that time-reversal symmetry is not a necessary condition for the presence of the quantum boomerang. Next, we investigate the impact of interactions on the quantum boomerang effect, using the mean-field approximation. The interactions lead to partial destruction of the boomerang effect. Within the framework of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation, we identify a universal parameter that describes the observed destruction of the particle's return to the origin. Finally, we numerically study the effect of interactions using a quasi-exact approach. To this end, we study weakly interacting bosons, the Tonks-Girardeau gas, and strongly interacting bosons, which map to weakly interacting fermions. We find that weakly interacting bosons exhibit stronger destruction of the boomerang effect than in the case of the mean-field approach, thus that quantum fluctuations play a major role. Results for the Tonks-Girardeau gas show the existence of the full quantum boomerang phenomenon. Moreover, the results for strongly interacting bosons, where the boomerang is also only partial, provide evidence that the destruction of the quantum boomerang effect does not depend on the details of the interactions between particles.

Xavier Bonnetain, Gaëtan Leurent, María Naya‐Plasencia +1 more

Paul Frixons

For modern cryptography, the security of a system is defined as the sum of the resources required to break it. With the advent of efficient quantum computers and the new algorithmic possibilities that this opens, this amount of resource is destined to change.In this thesis, we take a step towards a better understanding of this quantum threat. After an introduction to quantum computation and cryptography, we show quantum attacks against the Legendre PRF in the setting without superposition queries and reduced quantum memory. Afterwards, we present a general way to transpose boomerang attacks into quantum attacks as well as some applications. We continue on a doubling method for block ciphers inspired by the Encrypt-Mix-Encrypt scheme and prove its security. We end by building a quantum version of the 3G/4G/5G UMTS-AKA authentication protocol before showing the security as well as the underlying primitives Milenage and TUAK.