Skip to main content

A new algorithm for finding minimum-weight words in large linear codes

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Cryptography and Coding (Cryptography and Coding 1995)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1025))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

An algorithm for finding small-weight words in large linear codes is developed and a precise analysis of its complexity is given. It is in particular able to decode random [512,256,57]-linear binary codes in 9 hours on a DEC alpha computer. We improve with it the previously best known attacks on some public-key cryptosystems and identification schemes based on error-correcting codes: for example we reduce the work factor involved in breaking McEliece's cryptosystem, since our algorithm requires 264 elementary operations that is 128 times less than Lee-Brickell's attack.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. A. Canteaut and H. Chabanne. A further improvement of the work factor in an attempt at breaking McEliece's cryptosystem. In P. Charpin, editor, EUROCODE 94, pages 163–167. INRIA, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  2. A. Canteaut and F. Chabaud. Improvements of the attacks on cryptosystems based on error-correcting codes. Rapport interne du Département Mathématiques et Informatique LIENS-95-21, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, July 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  3. F. Chabaud. On the security of some cryptosystems based on error-correcting codes. In A. De Santis, editor, Advances in Cryptology — EUROCRYPT '94, number 950 in Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pages 131–139. Springer-Verlag, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  4. M. Girault. A (non-practical) three-pass identification protocol using coding theory. In J. Seberry and J. Pieprzyk, editors, Advances in Cryptology — AUSCRYPT '90, number 453 in Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pages 265–272. Springer-Verlag, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  5. P.J. Lee and E.F. Brickell. An observation on the security of McEliece's publickey cryptosystem. In C.G. Günther, editor, Advances in Cryptology — EUROCRYPT '88, number 330 in Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pages 275–280. Springer-Verlag, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  6. J.S. Leon. A probabilistic algorithm for computing minimum weights of large errorcorrecting codes. IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory, IT-34(5): 1354–1359, September 1988.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. R.J. McEliece. A public-key cryptosystem based on algebraic coding theory. DSN progress report 42–44, pages 114–116, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  8. H. Niederreiter. Knapsack-type cryptosystems and algebraic coding theory. Problems of Control and Information Theory, 15(2): 159–166, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  9. J.K. Omura. Iterative decoding of linear codes by a modulo-2 linear program. Discrete Math, 3:193–208, 1972.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. J. Stern. A method for finding codewords of small weight. In G. Cohen and J. Wolfmann, editors, Coding Theory and Applications, number 388 in Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pages 106–113. Springer-Verlag, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  11. J. Stern. A new identification scheme based on syndrome decoding. In D.R. Stinson, editor, Advances in Cryptology — CRYPTO '93, number 773 in Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Springer-Verlag, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  12. J. van Tilburg. On the McEliece public-key cryptosystem. In S. Goldwasser, editor, Advances in Cryptology — CRYPTO '88, number 403 in Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pages 119–131. Springer-Verlag, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Colin Boyd

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1995 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Canteaut, A. (1995). A new algorithm for finding minimum-weight words in large linear codes. In: Boyd, C. (eds) Cryptography and Coding. Cryptography and Coding 1995. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1025. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-60693-9_24

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-60693-9_24

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-60693-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-49280-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics