The Odyssey of Entropy: Cryptography

Area of Science:

• Information Theory
• Cryptography
• Computer Science

Background:

• Entropy, introduced by Shannon, quantifies disorder and unavailable information.
• Information-theoretical concepts have broad applications across scientific disciplines.
• The study focuses on the intersection of entropy and cryptographic systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the applications of entropy in cryptography.
• To analyze existing trends in the use of information theory in cryptographic design, implementation, and evaluation.
• To establish a roadmap for future research in this domain.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review.
• Analysis of information-theoretical concepts applied to cryptographic schemes, algorithms, devices, and systems.
• Trend analysis and identification of research gaps.

Main Results:

• Entropy and related concepts are integral to cryptographic design and evaluation.
• Identified key applications in ensuring randomness, security, and efficiency of cryptographic systems.
• Current trends highlight the increasing importance of information-theoretic security proofs.

Conclusions:

• Entropy provides a fundamental framework for understanding and enhancing cryptographic security.
• The review consolidates current knowledge and identifies critical areas for future cryptographic research.
• Future work should focus on novel applications of entropy in post-quantum cryptography and secure multi-party computation.