Enhancement of chacha20 algorithm applied resource constrained devices

ABSTRACT: This study proposes an enhanced version of the ChaCha20 algorithm by integrating three primary modifications: the use of Tent Maps to introduce non-linear transformations that increase ciphertext unpredictability, randomized rotation contestants to improve diffusion and disrupt pattern information, and Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH) combined with a HMAC-based Key Derivation Function (HKDF) to ensure secure and flexible key generation. These enhancements collectively address the limitations of the original ChaCha20 in terms of avalanche effect, diffusion strength, and key reuse vulnerability to achieving improved avalanche percentages, reduced execution times, and higher entropy in key generation when tested in a simulated ARM-based resource-constrained environment. The enhanced algorithm was evaluated on an ARM-based processor with 512MB RAM and a single vCPU, simulating a typical resource-constrained environment. Experimental results showed improved avalanche effect percentage with 52.27% for short plaintexts and 52.34% for medium plaintexts compared to 48.86%, and 51.56% in the original ChaCha20. Additionally, performance metrics demonstrated faster execution times, averaging 8.63ms for 1MB data and 42.09ms for 5MB data, surpassing the original’s 8.78ms and 44.39ms, respectively. These results confirm that the enhanced ChaCha20 algorithm offers better diffusion and efficiency without sacrificing lightweight characteristics, thereby making it more robust against cryptanalytic attacks. This study contributes to a practical advancement in the development of lightweight encryption tailored for modern low-power computing environments, providing valuable insights for future cryptographic designs in security-critical applications.

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