IDEA NXT
Encyclopedia
In cryptography
, the IDEA NXT algorithm (previously known as FOX) is a block cipher
designed by Pascal Junod and Serge Vaudenay
of EPFL (Lausanne
, Switzerland
). It was conceived between 2001 and 2003, the project was originally named FOX and was published in 2003. In May 2005 it was announced by MediaCrypt under the name IDEA NXT. IDEA NXT is the successor of the IDEA algorithm and it uses an extended Lai-Massey scheme known for its robustness to cryptanalysis. It was mandated by MediaCrypt, a Swiss company owner of the distribution rights on IDEA and the patents of IDEA NXT. The IDEA NXT cipher is a family of different sub-ciphers with various blocks and keys size : Standard NXT64 (block of 64 bits, key of 128 bits, 16 rounds) and Standard NXT128 (block of 128 bits, key of 256 bits, 16 rounds). Variations of the Standard versions can be built (key of 0-256 bits, round numbers from 2-255). Also individual tables (sbox, permutation matrix) can be loaded, replacing the Standard table.
Mediacrypt states that IDEA NXT has two U.S. patent
applications pending. (See links below.). The applications appear directed to key generation for the cipher.
The fact that IDEA NXT is patented and requires a license may influence the extent of its adoption, particularly given that there are viable alternatives (eg AES, Serpent and the Twofish
algorithm) in the public domain which have no restrictions on them whatsoever.
Cryptography
Cryptography is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of third parties...
, the IDEA NXT algorithm (previously known as FOX) is a block cipher
Block cipher
In cryptography, a block cipher is a symmetric key cipher operating on fixed-length groups of bits, called blocks, with an unvarying transformation. A block cipher encryption algorithm might take a 128-bit block of plaintext as input, and output a corresponding 128-bit block of ciphertext...
designed by Pascal Junod and Serge Vaudenay
Serge Vaudenay
Serge Vaudenay is a well-known French cryptographer.Serge Vaudenay entered the École Normale Supérieure in Paris as a normalien student in 1989. In 1992, he passed the agrégation in mathematics. He did his PhD at the computer science laboratory of École Normale Supérieure, and defended it in 1995...
of EPFL (Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
). It was conceived between 2001 and 2003, the project was originally named FOX and was published in 2003. In May 2005 it was announced by MediaCrypt under the name IDEA NXT. IDEA NXT is the successor of the IDEA algorithm and it uses an extended Lai-Massey scheme known for its robustness to cryptanalysis. It was mandated by MediaCrypt, a Swiss company owner of the distribution rights on IDEA and the patents of IDEA NXT. The IDEA NXT cipher is a family of different sub-ciphers with various blocks and keys size : Standard NXT64 (block of 64 bits, key of 128 bits, 16 rounds) and Standard NXT128 (block of 128 bits, key of 256 bits, 16 rounds). Variations of the Standard versions can be built (key of 0-256 bits, round numbers from 2-255). Also individual tables (sbox, permutation matrix) can be loaded, replacing the Standard table.
Mediacrypt states that IDEA NXT has two U.S. patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
applications pending. (See links below.). The applications appear directed to key generation for the cipher.
The fact that IDEA NXT is patented and requires a license may influence the extent of its adoption, particularly given that there are viable alternatives (eg AES, Serpent and the Twofish
Twofish
In cryptography, Twofish is a symmetric key block cipher with a block size of 128 bits and key sizes up to 256 bits. It was one of the five finalists of the Advanced Encryption Standard contest, but was not selected for standardisation...
algorithm) in the public domain which have no restrictions on them whatsoever.
External links
- Reference implementation and derived code
- Mediacrypt homepage — IDEA licensor
- http://www.mediacrypt.com/_pdf/NXT_Technical_Description_0406.pdf Technical description of IDEA NXT.***
- FOX: a new family of block ciphers
- FOX algorithm implementation - a hardware design approach
- Wu Wenling, Zhang Wentao, and Feng Dengguo - Improved Integral Cryptanalysis of FOX Block Cipher
- BSD licensed C Software implementation of IDEA NXT
- U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2004/0247117
- U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2005/0053233