Cryptography based on DNA

Abstract

The rapid advancement of technology has escalated the need for robust security measures in sectors like banking and email systems. Cryptography has become essential for protecting sensitive information, transforming readable text into ciphertext through encryption and restoring it via decryption. DNA cryptography stands out as a novel approach, leveraging DNA's biological structures to enhance data security. Introduced by Adleman in 1994, DNA computing uses bio-molecular technology to solve complex problems through massive parallelism, exploiting DNA's ability to process vast amounts of data simultaneously. Research has highlighted DNA's potential for data storage and cryptographic applications, including storing 700 terabytes of data in just 1 gram of DNA. Despite its potential, DNA cryptography faces challenges in developing robust theoretical frameworks for effective cryptographic schemes. This thesis proposes a new cryptographic approach, the Feistel Inspired DNA Cryptosystem, which integrates Feistel cipher principles with RNA codons. The system involves dividing plaintext, applying XOR operations with a randomized key, converting RNA to DNA strands, and then to binary values for encryption. Decryption employs RNA bases, codon positions, and XOR operations to retrieve the original plaintext accurately. The effectiveness of this approach is demonstrated through significant changes in over half of the plaintext bits per encryption round, enhancing security against attacks. Performance analysis reveals this method outperforms existing techniques, particularly regarding the Avalanche Effect, where small input changes result in vastly different ciphertexts. In conclusion, the Feistel Inspired DNA Cryptosystem offers a promising advancement in cryptographic techniques, providing enhanced security measures and a higher Avalanche Effect, making it valuable for safeguarding sensitive information across various applications