Published Papers
Dissertation Set Theoretic Estimation Applied to the Information Content of Ciphers and Decryption
The dissertation that started the work on Set Theoretic Estimation (STE) and Cryptography. Written in 2012. It outlines the principles of Set Theory as applied to Cryptography. It includes the basics and extends them the idea to Topological space with low bounded error. To this point in time, STE had not been applied to cryptographic applications. Testing is presented and shown to be extensible to larger key sizes.
Carlson, Albert
Shadow PUFs: Generating Temporal PUFs with Properties Isomorphic to Delay-Based APUFs
This paper addresses how Physically Unclonable Functions (PUFs) can be simulated with substitute PUFs having the same statistical characteristics. This is used in setting up polymorphic RNGs.
Idriss, Haythem, Rojas, Pablo, Alahmadi, Sarah, Idriss, Tarek, Carlson, Albert H., and Bayoumi, Magdy
ISCAS 2022
Evaluating True Cryptographic Key Space Size
This paper presents an analysis of how very large key spaces can be quickly and efficiently reduced in order to heuristically attack what are normally thought to be very large keyspaces. This work shows that the effects of language on keyspace size can be substantial. It also shows that the reduction in keyspace can make it possible to easily decrypt what would otherwise be computationally intractable. It also demonstrates how vulnerable classic cryptography is to being broken.
Carlson, Albert, Torsten Gang, Garrett Gang, Bhaskar Ghosh, and Indira Dutta,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357724438_Evaluating_True_Cryptographic_Key_Space_Size
2021 12th Annual Ubiquitous Computing, Electronics and Mobile Communications Conference (UEMCON 2021), 1 – 4 December 2021
Modeling Polymorphic Ciphers
This paper presents a discussion of how ciphers can be classed polymorphically and what polymorphic means with respect to cryptographic algorithms.
Carlson, Albert, Dutta, Indira K., Ghosh, Bhaskar, and Totaro, Michael
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359272572_Modeling_Polymorphic_Ciphers
2021 Sixth International Conference on Fog and Mobile Edge Computing (FMEC)
The Problem with Multiple Byte Block Boundaries in Encryption
This paper discusses how it is possible to convert product ciphers with different block sizes to metacharacters and then apply isomorphic cipher reduction. The result is that it is possible to
break ciphers that appear to be impossible to find a usable metacharacter size.
Carlson, Albert H., Dutta, Indira Kalyan, Ghosh, Bhaskar, and Hiromoto, Robert, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/364317767_The_Problem_with_Regular_Multiple_Byte_Block_Boundaries_in_Encryption
13th IEEE Annual Information Technology, Electronics and Mobile Communications (IEMCon), 2022
Using the Collision Attack for Breaking Cryptographic Modes
This paper presents the results from applying the Collision Attack to Cipher Block Chaining (CBC) mode It presents a summary of the attack and data gathered in support of this type of attack. It demonstrates that CBC should not be used and that other modes with similar architectures are probably susceptible to the same attack. Therefore, it proves that the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) with CBC is not a strong as previously thought. It also shows that polymorphic ciphers are immune to such an attack.
Carlson, Albert, Dutta, Indira Kalyan, and Ghosh, Bhaskar
13th International Conference on Computing, Communication and Networking Technologies (ICCCNT 2022)
Novel Innovations that Failed to Improve Weak PRNGs
This paper reports on work done investigating methods to improve RNGs for use in Polymorphic RNGs. These methods did not work when they were tried.
Williams, Benjamin, Carlson, Albert, and Hiromoto, Robert
13th International Conference on Computing, Communication, and Networking Technologies (ICCCNT), 2022
An Introduction to Local Entropy and Local Unicity
his paper talks about Local Entropy and Unicity Distance as a method for decryption and cryptanalysis. This technique constitutes a heuristic methodology that should be a tool in cryptography.
Carlson, Albert H., Mikkilinneni, Sai Ranganath, and Totaro, Michael
International Symposium on Networks, Computers, and Communications (ISNCC) 2022
A Venona Style Attack to Determine Block Size, Language, and Attacking Ciphers
Explores how the Venona attack may have been managed. It also gives the algorithm to break serial ciphers and ciphers that use a set of repeating keys in an encryption environment.
Mikkilinneni, Sai Ranganath, Carlson, Albert H., Totaro, Michael, and Briscoe, Christopher
International Symposium on Networks, Computers, and Communications (ISNCC) 2022
Equivalence of Product Ciphers to Substitution Ciphers and their Security Implications
A paper that shows how product ciphers can be subjected to isomorphic cipher reduction. The implications are that it is easy to break product ciphers using the S cipher break approach.
Carlson, Albert H., Mikkilinneni, Sai Ranganath, Totaro, Michael, Wells, Richard B., and Hiromoto, Robert
International Symposium on Networks, Computers, and Communications (ISNCC) 2022
Space Selection and Abstraction in Set Theoretic Estimation
This paper discusses the mathematical abstraction of spaces in the use of Set Theoretic Estimation for decryption.
Carlson, Albert H., Khare, Shivanjali, Dutta, Indira Kalyan, Ghosh, Bhaskar, and Totaro, Michael
12th IEEE Computing and Communication Workshop and Conference (CCWC), 2002
Key Space Reduction Using Isomorphs
This paper gives the principles of reducing the number of keys that needs to be checked by using the technique of grouping equivalent keys into sets. By using a single representative, called the "systematic isomorph," to reduce the number of keys that have to be tried in a brute force attack. This allows for speeding up decryption and showing how security is reduced for ciphers.
Carlson, Albert H., Ghosh, Bhaskar, Dutta, Indira Kalyan, Khare, Shivanjali, and Totaro, Michael
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356826260_Key_Space_Reduction_Using_Isomorphs
2021 IEEE 12th Annual Information Technology, Electronics and Mobile Communication Conference (IEMCON)
Published Papers (continued)
Isomorphic Cipher Reduction
This paper shows that it is possible to substitute equivalent Substitution (S) ciphers for other ciphers. The result is that it is possible to apply idempotence to ciphers, such as various block ciphers, and reduce the complexity of cipher analysis. It also demonstrates that many "complex" ciphers are really far less secure than otherwise thought.
Carlson, Albert H., Ghosh, Bhaskar, Dutta, Indira Kalyan, Khare, Shivanjali, and Totaro, Michael
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356820275_Isomorphic_Cipher_Reduction
2021 IEEE 12th Annual Information Technology, Electronics and Mobile Communication Conference (IEMCON), 2021
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Lightweight Polymorphic Encryption for the Data Associated with Constrained Internet of Things
A paper that shows that it is necessary to use offsets into a byte block when performing block ciphers, especially product block ciphers. Also addresses the Internet of Things in security.
Dutta, Indira Kalyan, Ghosh, Bhaskar, Carlson, Albert H., Bayoumi, Magdy
2020 IEEE 6th World Forum on Internet of Things (WF-IoT), 2020
A Design for a Cryptographically Secure Pseudo Random Number Generator
This paper begin exploring the use of Geffe style generators for polymorphic RNGs. The data centers on the statistics of these approaches and techniques to increase randomness.
Williams, Benjamin, Hiromoto, Robert, and Carlson, Albert
2019 10th IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Data Acquisition and Advanced Computing Systems: Technology and Applications (IDAACS), 2012
Breaking Block and Product Ciphers
One of the first papers that indicates that it may be possible to attack product ciphers as if they are a single cipher. Presents the data necessary to back the assertion, along with early results.
Carlson, Albert, Hiromoto, Robert, and Wells, Richard B
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343944959_Breaking_Block_and_Product_Ciphers
2014
Using Set Theoretic Estimation to Implement Shannon Secrecy
This paper discuses the unification of Set Theoretic Estimation (STE) and Shannon Secrecy theory. It is the first suggestion of this approach to cryptography.
Carlson, Albert, Wells, Robert B.,
Intelligent Data Acquisition and Advanced Computing Systems: Technology and Applications, 2005. IDAACS 2005
Equivalence of Product Ciphers to Substitution Ciphers and their Security Implications
A paper that shows how product ciphers can be subjected to isomorphic cipher reduction. The implications are that it is easy to break product ciphers using the S cipher break approach.
Carlson, Albert H., Mikkilinneni, Sai Ranganath, Totaro, Michael, Wells, Richard B., and Hiromoto, Robert
International Symposium on Networks, Computers, and Communications (ISNCC) 2022
White Papers produced for the Quantum Security Alliance
Chemical States as a Security Solution
A paper presenting the need for research in the Post Quantum Environment (PQE), due to the weaponization of Quantum Computers. Details how quantum chemistry plays a role in information security and the ongoing role it can play in security.
Albert Carlson, Hans Mumm, Keeper Sharkey, Merrick Watchorn
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361860967_Chemical_States_as_a_Security_Solution
Michelle Watchorn, ed., Quantum Security Alliance, 2022
Standard Password Practices for Organizations: Relative Theory and Recommendations
A paper that discusses how passwords should be implemented and relates the practices to Shannon Theory.
Carlson, Albert
Keeper Sharkey, ed., Quantum Security Alliance, 2022