Automorphisms of Finite Quasi-Groups without Sub-Quasi-Groups

Abstract

Finite quasi-groups without sub-quasi-groups are considered. It is shown that polynomially complete quasi-groups with this property are quasi-primal. The case in which the automorphism groups act transitively on these quasi-groups is considered. Quasi-groups of prime-power order defined on an arithmetic vector space over a finite field are also studied. Necessary conditions for a multiplication in this space given in coordinate form to determine a quasi-group are found. The case of a vector space over the two-element field is considered in more detail. A criterion for a multiplication given in coordinate form by Boolean functions to determine a quasi-group is obtained. Under certain assumptions, quasi-groups of order 4 determined by Boolean functions are described up to isotopy. Polynomially complete quasi-groups are important in that the problem of solving polynomial equations is NP-complete in such quasi-groups. This property suggests using them for protecting information, because cryptographic transformations are based on quasi-group operations. In this context, an important role is played by quasi-groups containing no sub-quasi-groups.