Block Cipher Modes of Operation
Block cipher: operates on fixed length b-bit input to produce b-bit ciphertext
What about encrypting plaintext longer than b bits?
Break plaintext into b-bit blocks (padding if necessary) and apply cipher on each
block independently
Security issues arise:
Repetitions of input plaintext blocks produces repetitions of output
ciphertext blocks
Repetitions (patterns) in ciphertext are bad!
Different modes of operation have been developed
Tradeoffs between security, performance, error handling and additional features
(e.g. include authentication)
Electronic code book(ECB):
1. Each block of 64 plaintext bits is encoded independently using same key
2. Typical applications: secure transmission of single values (e.g. encryption
key)
3. Problem: with long message, repetition in plaintext may cause repetition in
ciphertext
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Cipher Block Chaining mode(CBC):
1. Input to encryption algorithm is XOR of next 64-bits plaintext and preceding
64-bits ciphertext
2. Typical applications: General-purpose block-oriented transmission;
authentication
3. Initialisation Vector (IV) must be known by sender/receiver, but secret from
attacker
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Cipher FeedBack mode(CFB):
1. Converts block cipher into stream cipher
2. No need to pad message to integral number of blocks
3. Operate in real-time: each character encrypted and transmitted
immediately
4. Input processed s bits at a time
5. Preceding ciphertext used as input to cipher to produce pseudo-random
output
6. XOR output with plaintext to produce ciphertext
7. Typical applications: General-purpose stream-oriented transmission;
authentication
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OutputFeedback mode(OFB):
1. Converts block cipher into stream cipher
2. Similar to CFB, except input to encryption algorithm is preceding encryption
output
3. Typical applications: stream-oriented transmission over noisy channels (e.g.
satellite communications)
4. Advantage compared to OFB: bit errors do not propagate
5. Disadvantage: more vulnerable to message stream modification attack
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Counter mode(CTR):
1. Converts block cipher into stream cipher
2. Each block of plaintext XORed with encrypted counter
3. Typical applications: General-purpose block-oriented transmission; useful
for high speed requirements
4. Efficient hardware and software implementations
5. Simple and secure
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