Aims and scope

Cryptography and Communications: Discrete Structures, Boolean Functions and Sequences publishes scholarly research dedicated to improving the quality of the Discrete Structures, Boolean Functions and Sequences used in communication and cryptographic systems. This research aims to increase the speed and capacity of digital communication and strengthen security by improving the encryption necessary to combat cryptanalytic attacks. With improved encryption, communication will become more secure from the cryptanalytic attacks that threaten the confidentiality and integrity of personal data stored on and transmitted by mobile devices. Increasing the speed, reliability, and capacity of wireless communication is essential for growth, since the radio spectrum is a bounded resource.

While sometimes treated as separate entities with distinct research goals, communication and cryptography often use similar models and techniques and work in tandem in digital networks. As a result, this journal’s distinctive combination encourages researchers to strive for advancements that will improve one or both areas, thus providing a publishing forum for these domains, covering all the fundamental and computational aspects of these research fields.

The journal publishes high-quality papers dealing with cryptography, error-correcting codes, communications and their interactions. Both theoretical and applied papers will be considered.

The scope of the journal focuses on discrete structures used in stream and block ciphers in symmetric cryptography; code division multiple access in communications; and random number generation for statistics, cryptography and numerical methods. In particular, papers covering Boolean functions and sequences, without excluding any other discrete structure used in cryptography and communications, such as finite fields and other algebraic structures, are strongly encouraged. Topics include, but are not limited to:

    Boolean functions for pseudo-random generators in stream ciphers and related cryptographic criteria
    Weights and nonlinearity of Boolean functions, character sums
    Fourier and Walsh transforms and their relation to sequences and Boolean functions
    Multi-output (vectorial) Boolean functions for substitution (S-) boxes in block ciphers, differential and nonlinearity characteristics
    Designs and (single or multi-output) Boolean functions
    Diffusion in block ciphers and Boolean functions
    Cryptanalyses of stream and block ciphers and their relation to discrete structures
    Combinatorics, coding, cryptography and sequences
    Finite fields (or Galois rings), coding, cryptography, and sequences
    Connections between sequences and abstract algebra
    Permutation and multivariate polynomials over finite fields and their use in cryptography
    Linear feedback shift registers, feedback with carry shift registers, and other sequence generators
    Correlation of sequences
    Complexity measures of sequences and multisequences
    Pseudo-randomness of sequences
    Shift register synthesis
    Connections between graphs and discrete structures
    Coding techniques and theories for distributed storage and computing
    Cryptographic sequences derived from automatic sequences
    Uniform distribution, exponential sums and cryptography
    Pseudorandomness and number theoretic objects and applications (coding, cryptography)
    Signal design for communication systems and radar systems in connection with discrete structures)
    LRC codes, minimal codes, RS codes, AG codes

Special Issue on Security and Cryptography for Networks (by invitation only)
Submission Date: 2025-01-10

This collection will devoted to the extended versions of a selection of papers that will appear at the 14th International Conference on Security and Cryptography for Networks (SCN 2024).

SCN brings together researchers in the field of cryptography and information security. Since its first edition, the program committee chairs and members have always been renowned international researchers in the fields of cryptography and data security. Indeed, the International Association for Cryptologic Research grants to SCN the status of "event organized in cooperation with IACR" (IACR-ICW) since 2004.

The increasing reputation of SCN in the research community is witnessed by the increasing participation, both in terms of number of submissions and number of attendees.

This special issue seeks submissions presenting novel research on all practical and theoretical aspects of cryptography and information security. The primary focus is on original, high quality, unpublished research of theoretical and practical impact, including concepts, techniques, applications and practical experiences.

Topics of interest include:
• Anonymity and Privacy • Applied Cryptography and Implementations • Authentication, Identification and Access Control • Block and Stream Ciphers • Complexity-Theoretic Cryptography • Cryptanalysis • Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain • Cryptographic Hash Functions • Cryptographic Protocols • Digital Signatures and Message Authentication Codes • Distributed Systems Security • Elliptic-Curve Cryptography • Formal Security Methods • Information-Theoretic Security • Post-quantum Cryptography • Public-Key Encryption • Physical Cryptography