General News
The Power of Chaos: A Robust and Low-Cost Cryptosystem for the Post-Quantum Era
Fast algorithms on quantum computers could easily break many widely used cryptosystems, necessitating more innovative solutions for digital security.
In a recent study, a team of scientists designed a stream cipher consisting of three cryptographic primitives based on independent mathematical models of chaos.
The resulting cryptographic approach is robust to attacks from large-scale quantum computers and can be implemented on low-cost computers, paving the way to secure digital communications in the post-quantum era.
While for most of us cryptographic systems are things that just run “under the hood,” they are an essential element in the world of digital communications.
However, the upcoming rise of quantum computers could shake the field of cryptography to its core. Fast algorithms running on these machines could break some of the most widely used cryptosystems, rendering them vulnerable.
Well aware of this looming threat, cryptography researchers worldwide are working on novel encryption methods that can withstand attacks from quantum computers.
Chaos theory is actively being studied as a basis for post-quantum era cryptosystems. In mathematics, chaos is a property of certain dynamic systems that makes them extremely sensitive to initial conditions.
While technically deterministic (non-random), these systems evolve in such complex ways that predicting their long-term state with incomplete information is practically impossible, since even small rounding errors in the initial conditions yield diverging results.
This unique characteristic of chaotic systems can be leveraged to produce highly secure cryptographic systems, as a team of researchers from Ritsumeikan University, Japan, showed in a recent study published in IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I.
Led by Professor Takaya Miyano, the team developed an unprecedented stream cipher consisting of three cryptographic primitives based on independent mathematical models of chaos.
The first primitive is a pseudorandom number generator based on the augmented Lorenz (AL) map. The pseudorandom numbers produced using this approach are used to create key streams for encrypting/decrypting messages, which take the stage in the second and perhaps most remarkable primitive—an innovative method for secret-key exchange.
This novel strategy for exchanging secret keys specifying the AL map is based on the synchronization of two chaotic Lorenz oscillators, which can be independently and randomly initialized by the two communicating users, without either of them knowing the state of the other’s oscillator.
To conceal the internal states of these oscillators, the communicating users (the sender and the receiver) mask the value of one of the variables of their oscillator by multiplying it with a locally generated random number.
The masked value of the sender is then sent to receiver and vice-versa. After a short time, when these back-and-forth exchanges cause both oscillators to sync up almost perfectly to the same state in spite of the randomization of the variables, the users can mask and exchange secret keys and then locally unmask them with simple calculations.
Finally, the third primitive is a hash function based on the logistic map (a chaotic equation of motion), which allows the sender to send a hash value and, in turn, allows the receiver to ensure that the received secret key is correct, i.e., the chaotic oscillators were synchronized properly.
The researchers showed that a stream cipher assembled using these three primitives is extremely secure and resistant to statistical attacks and eavesdropping since it is mathematically impossible to synchronize their own oscillator to either the sender’s or the receiver’s ones.
This is an unprecedented achievement, as Prof. Miyano states: “Most chaos-based cryptosystems can be broken by attacks using classical computers within a practically short time. In contrast, our methods, especially the one for secret-key exchange, appear to be robust against such attacks and, more importantly, even hard to break using quantum computers.”
In addition to its security, the proposed key exchange method is applicable to existing block ciphers, such as the widely used Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). Moreover, the researchers could implement their chaos-based stream cipher on the Raspberry Pi 4, a small-scale computer, using Python 3.8.
They even used it to securely transmit a famous painting by Johannes Vermeer between Kusatsu and Sendai, two places in Japan 600 km apart. “The implementation and running costs of our cryptosystem are remarkably low compared with those of quantum cryptography,” highlights Prof. Miyano, “Our work thus provides a cryptographic approach that guarantees the privacy of daily communications between people all over the world in the post-quantum era.”
With such power of chaos-based cryptography, we may not have much to worry about the dark sides of quantum computing.
General News
FlashChange Partners Ruth Foundation to Empower Vulnerable Children in Alimosho with Skill Acquisition
In an inspiring initiative to uplift the next generation, FlashChange and Ruth Foundation have successfully implemented the “Orphanage Skill Acquisition Assembly 2.0 program,” a skills empowerment program for vulnerable children in Alimosho, Local Government Area of Lagos state.
The five-day programme, which began on Monday, April 14, was created to equip vulnerable children aged 4 to 18 years with essential life skills such as financial literacy, fashion design, photography, creative arts, cooking, and leadership development
Speaking at the closing ceremony of this year’s edition of the programme, the Chief Operating Officer, Flashchange, Olamide Ajibola said, “We are delighted to be part of this life-changing initiative.
“At FlashChange, we believe that children are the heartbeat of every community, by investing in their development today, we are not just shaping the future of individuals but nurturing future leaders, creators, and change-makers that would make a positive contribution to the growth and development of the society in the near future.”
“Initiatives of this nature gladdens our heart and we are open and willing to participate in them at any time. In the coming months, we hope to do more in that area as our own little way of improving society. This is in line with our CSR pillars, which include human capital development.”
Ajibola appreciated the benefitting children for accepting to be part of the life changing training which has the capacity to catapult them to a brighter future. The facilitators were also commended for impacting the children with the skills and knowledge to help shape their lives.
The founder Ruth Foundation, Itunuoluwa Ruth Da-Silva, in her remarks, expressed the foundation’s deepest appreciation to partnering organizations like FlashChange for believing in the vision and throwing their full weight behind it.
She said, “It will interest you to know that 153 vulnerable children benefitted from the Orphanage Skill Acquisition Assembly 2.0 programme and the training ran simultaneously at Compassionate Orphanage home; Precious Pearl Orphanage; Little Saints Orphanage and House of Mercy Orphanage respectively. Providing the children access to knowledge and skills early in life to create a ripple effect that can transform the entire community.”
The Chief Marketing Officer, FlashChange Jesujoba Ojelabi commended Ruth foundation for the initiative and urged the children to take the skills learnt seriously, as it has the capacity to change their lives for good.
He said, “As a company, we would be proud to lend our support to the foundation whenever we are called upon to do so in the future. My candid advice to you children would be this, to be great ambassadors of this initiative, you need to continuously put to practice the skills and knowledge you have acquired from the programme. We are indeed proud of you all and the success stories recorded so far.”
To support the continuous development of the children the following items were donated; electric sewing machine, cake mixer; packs of Yeye yarn, packs of pins, some stitch markers, scissors, measuring scale, make-up kit box filled with make-up tools among several others.
FlashChange and Ruth Foundation therefore urge community leaders, government organizations, private sector partners, and stakeholders to support programmes of this nature aimed at equipping children with the skills they need to thrive in a world that is evolving quickly.
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has dismissed the claims that the defunct digital asset trading platform, CBEX, was registered with its Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, SCUML.
However, EFCC stated that ST Technologies and not CBEX registered with SCUML, saying that the certificate didn’t imply clearance by the Commission.
The clarification comes after Lesley Kessy Oviritsa, one of the victims of the CBEX Ponzi Scheme said she fell prey to CBEX after seeing and verifying its CAC and SCUML Certificate.
Oviritsa claimed they had no reason to suspect foul play, especially since they claimed their SEC certificate would be ready by May 2025.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek reported how CBEX swept over N1.3 trillion from their investors’ accounts.
In a post on its official handle on X on Monday, EFCC said the Commission is not a clearing house or regulatory authority of online businesses.
The post read: “SCUML Certificate Is Not CLEARANCE BY EFCC.
“ST Technologies (not CBEX) registered with the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, SCUML in line with Section 17 of the Money Laundering, (Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2022.
“Registration is a statutory requirement for all Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions, DNFBPs, in Nigeria in consonance with Nigeria’s Anti-Money Laundering/ Control of Financing Terrorism, AML/CFT regime.
“The EFCC is not a clearing house or regulatory authority of online businesses.
“But financial fraud of any kind is the remit of the Commission, and it is committed to ensuring justice for victims of the CBEX scam.”
MoMo PSB, a subsidiary of MTN Nigeria and a leading provider of digital financial services, has unveiled its Customer Refer & Win Promo, an exciting initiative aimed at rewarding loyal customers with free airtime or data for life.
This campaign underscores MoMo PSB’s commitment to advancing financial inclusion and enhancing the digital banking experience for millions of Nigerians.
The promo offers customers the chance to win incredible prizes, including free airtime or data every month for 50 years for 11 lucky winners, and consolation prizes for 110 winners who will receive airtime or data every month for one year.
Open to both new and existing customers, the initiative encourages participants to perform qualifying transactions and refer friends and family to activate or reactivate their accounts.
Phrase Lubega, CEO of MoMo PSB, emphasized the company’s dedication to customer satisfaction and seamless financial transactions. “This initiative is about giving back to our customers while promoting the ease and convenience of using MoMo for everyday transactions.
“By simply transacting on the platform, customers get the chance to enjoy free airtime and data for life, an offer that truly rewards their loyalty,” he said.
To participate, customers must complete eligible transactions such as MoMo-to-MoMo transfers, other bank transfers, bill payments, betting wallet top-ups, and airtime/data purchases.
Referrals also earn participants an instant 100MB for every active referral. Weekly electronic draws will determine winners, with the promo running for 12 weeks from April 3rd to June 25th, 2025.
MoMo PSB will also engage users through nationwide activations, interactive sessions, and digital campaigns to drive awareness and participation.
This initiative further solidifies MoMo PSB’s role as a key player in Nigeria’s financial services sector, offering innovative solutions that simplify transactions and enhance customer satisfaction.
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