The increasing adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) devices in smart healthcare systems has revolutionized real-time data collection and processing, substantially improving healthcare delivery and operational efficiency. However, the sensitivity of medical data and the resource limitations of IoT devices demand blockchain solutions that are secure, lightweight, and scalable. This paper presents two core contributions: (1) Resource Efficiency-Driven Consensus (REDC), a machine learning–enhanced consensus protocol tailored for healthcare IoT networks, and (2) Dynamic Lightweight Hashing (DLH), a cryptographic algorithm designed for energy-constrained environments. REDC achieves up to 70% higher throughput, 43% Energy Efficiency (EE), and 25% lower latency compared to Proof of Elapsed Work and Luck (PoEWAL) in networks up to 100 nodes. DLH further enhances performance by reducing hash attempts and energy use while maintaining strong collision resistance across 100,000 trials. Together, REDC and DLH form a scalable and secure blockchain framework tailored for healthcare IoT.

Deoxyribonucleic acid cryptography is a biologically inspired approach characterized by low computational complexity. It employs biological principles to create cryptographically strong ciphers, making it particularly suitable for protecting sensitive data on resource-constraints devices. However, the existing literature lacks solutions for securing authentication mechanisms tailored for these resource-constrained devices. To bridge this gap, the current study proposes a novel authentication design rooted in deoxyribonucleic acid cryptography, namely omega deoxyribonucleic acid cryptography key-based authentication. The proposed omega deoxyribonucleic acid cryptography-based authentication method aligns with contemporary standards for cryptographic systems and delivers a security level quantified at 256 bits of complexity. To validate its resilience, one tests the collision resistance of the proposed authentication mechanism using the standard Dieharder statistical test suite, where the mechanism successfully passes the collision resistance test. Additionally, the proposed scheme is mathematically proven secure against existential forgery under a chosen message attack.

The advent of quantum computing poses substantial risks to conventional cryptographic mechanisms, particularly hash-based authentication and zero-knowledge identification (ZKI) protocols, which are susceptible to quantum algorithms such as Grover's and Shor's. This study presents a comprehensive benchmarking framework for evaluating the quantum resistance of cryptographic hash functions through performance metrics (execution time, memory utilization), statistical characteristics (entropy, bit-level randomness, avalanche effect), and security attributes (collision and preimage resistance) across diverse input sizes and edge conditions. A novel hybrid hashing strategy, integrating SHA-512 and BLAKE3 in a defense-in-depth configuration, is introduced to enhance post-quantum resilience. Its efficacy is validated via Grover's algorithm simulations, demonstrating a methodology for evaluating the increased computational workload for quantum search algorithms relative to conventional hash functions. The framework incorporates visualization utilities and structured reporting modules, enabling systematic assessment and practical implementation of quantum-resistant cryptographic solutions within ZKI systems. Findings indicate that while classical hashes such as SHA-256 and SHA-512 exhibit theoretically diminished security in quantum threat scenarios, the proposed hybrid method acts as a practical risk mitigation strategy with acceptable computational overhead, providing a viable pathway for safeguarding authentication systems against quantum-capable adversaries.

The design of cryptographic hash functions is crucial for ensuring the security of digital information. In this context, cellular automata (CAs) have emerged as a promising tool due to their inherent parallelism, determinism, and simplicity. However, traditional CAs may not fully meet the requirements for cryptographic hash functions in terms of randomness, collision resistance, and avalanche effect. To address these challenges, we propose a design of cryptographic hash functions based on improved cellular automata. Our approach involves refining the rules of CAs to enhance their cryptographic properties. By incorporating random chaotic rules and optimizing parameters, we create a hash function that exhibits excellent performance in terms of randomness, collision resistance, and avalanche effect. Furthermore, the parallel nature of CAs allows for the simultaneous processing of multiple data blocks, significantly improving the efficiency of the hash function. Our design leverages these advantages to provide a robust and efficient cryptographic hash function that is suitable for a wide range of applications.

Using SHA256 in the Blockchain system for security purposes, as it is important in linking blocks and preventing tampering efficiently and securely. In order to further confirm the security of SHA256 and protect it and increase its susceptibility to resist threats that it is exposed to in one way or another, its algorithm was developed by utilizing the modified skew tent map (MSTM). The developed SHA256 algorithm (D-SHA256) is distinguished by two essential features: less time and more enhanced security than its predecessor SHA256. This distinction arises from the strongly chaotic behavior and the highly randomness properties of the MSTM. Moreover, the proposed D-SHA256 algorithm consist of 32 rounds while preserving the randomness properties of the compression function by combining 48 hash constants and 48 words with the MSTM to obtain high randomness with less rounds. D-SHA256 guarantees that in the event of small changes that may occur in the input message leading to large changes in the output hash digest, while confirming the preservation of the properties of the cryptographic hash, containing collision resistance and ideal confusion and diffusion. The proposed algorithm was compared with SHA256 and other current hash algorithms, the results showed that D-SHA256 has increased collision resistance, higher output randomness, better cryptographic hashing properties, and lower execution time

A hash function is a mathematical model that maps inputs of arbitrary size to unique outputs of a fixed length in bits. Hash functions are highly useful and appear in almost all information security applications. In addition to information security applications, it can also serve as index data in hash tables, aiding in the detection of duplicate data for fingerprinting or uniquely identifying files, as well as for checksums to identify data corruption. This research introduces an innovative 256-bit hash function that utilizes a chaotic substitution box using a non-linear logistic map. Unlike MD5 or SHA-family hash functions, which rely on modular arithmetic, logical operations, and bitwise shifts for diffusion and non-linearity, the proposed method incorporates a chaotic substitution box to introduce an additional nonlinear transformation layer and high diffusion. The avalanche rate, statistical analysis, pre-image resistance, second pre-image, collision resistance, and performance are examined to evaluate the cryptographic strength and the performance of the proposed method.

The article is devoted to special methods for distributed databases that allow to accelerate data reconciliation in information systems, such as IoT, heterogeneous multi-computer systems, analytical administrative management systems, financial systems, scientific management systems, etc. A method for ensuring data consistency using a transaction clock is proposed and the results of experimental research for the developed prototype of a financial system are demonstrated. The transaction clock receives transactions from client applications and stores them in appropriate queues. The queues are processed based on the transaction priority. The highest priority queue is processed before the lowest priority queue. This allows you to determine which important data (such as financial transactions) should be processed first. The article justifies the replacement of the Merkle tree with a hashing algorithm and the use of the Bloom spectral filter to improve the Active Anti-Entropy method to accelerate eventual consistency. For its effective use, the filter generation algorithm is modified, which allowed to increase the speed of its generation and maintain a sufficient level of collision resistance.

Blockchain’s immutability, while enhancing transparency and trust, presents challenges when erroneous or sensitive content must be modified. To address this, we propose a novel cryptographic primitive called Time-Modifiable Chameleon Hash (TMCH), enabling controlled and time-modifiable data redaction in blockchain systems. TMCH enhances traditional chameleon hashes by embedding a time parameter into hash generation and verification, and it supports class-adaptive collision computation via a new Update algorithm. We formally define the security model for TMCH and analyze the relationships among uniqueness, indistinguishability (IND), and collision resistance (CR). This paper presents a concrete construction based on the Boneh–Boyen signature scheme and completes its security analysis and proof. Finally, the efficiency and practicality of the proposed scheme are validated through experimental comparisons with existing algorithms. Our results show that relaxing the uniqueness requirement does not compromise overall security, while enabling traceable and time-aware redactions. The proposed TMCH achieves strong security guarantees and practical efficiency, making it well suited for applications such as compliant data redaction and time-sensitive blockchain transactions.

A novel square-section auxetic lattice tubular metamaterial with favourable bending behavior

Construction safety is critical, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have emerged as a transformative tool to enhance safety management in the sector. While UAVs are widely recognized for their efficacy, limited research has specifically addressed the barriers to their integration into construction safety management systems. This study aims to identify, prioritize, and analyze the interrelationships among these barriers to aid in their effective resolution. Using a mixed-methods approach, this research combines a systematic literature review (SLR) to identify barriers and a questionnaire survey to prioritize and examine their interconnections. The findings reveal significant barriers, including restricted airspace, inadequate safety regulations, limited flight durations, collision risks, insufficient piloting skills, lack of UAV awareness, resistance to new technologies, human errors, training needs, and legal constraints. Restricted airspace emerged as the most critical barrier, strongly linked to flight duration limitations and piloting proficiency. This study also highlights regional disparities: respondents from developed nations emphasized collision risks, legal restrictions, and resistance to new technologies, while those from developing countries focused on restricted areas, limited flight time, and piloting expertise. These findings emphasize the importance of addressing region-specific challenges and tailoring strategies to facilitate UAV integration, paving the way for safer and more efficient construction practices.

With the rapid development of digital communications, sensitive digital storage security, especially that of images, remains a significant challenge. Most of the existing hash algorithms cannot meet the requirements of security, efficiency, and adaptability in cryptographic applications based on an image. We will fill this critical gap by proposing a new hybrid hash algorithm integrating three powerful cryptographic concepts: Cellular Automata (CA), sponge functions, and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC). We use the fact that CA is naturally unpredictable and has a high entropy to improve its diffusion properties. This makes it less vulnerable to differential cryptanalysis. The sponge construction allows for variable-length input handling with fixed-length output, ensuring scalability for diverse image data sizes. Last but not least, elliptic curve operations add more layers of collision resistance and nonlinearity to make the cryptography even more resistant to preimage and collision attacks. The novelty of this work is that it creates synergy between the CA’s chaotic behaviour, the flexibility of sponge functions, and the lightweight but powerful security of ECC, resulting in a hash algorithm that is both secure and efficient. This hybrid design is especially suitable for lightweight cryptographic scenarios where the traditional methods fall short. The proposed scheme provides a viable platform for secure image transactions and holds excellent promise to resist advanced cryptanalytic attacks.

Using hashes for user authentication allows systems to verify identity without storing or transmitting plaintext passwords, preventing theft or leakage. At the system level, access is granted if the hash matches and denied if it doesn't. A recent development in this area is chaos-based hashing, though it's not fully matured due to its complex and flawed design principles. This work proposes a novel chaos-based hash using a sponge construction. The design includes a four-state finite automaton to build the chaos structure, with a sponge mechanism for optimal bit mixing. Statistical evaluations show that the proposed hash offers strong diffusion, confusion, collision resistance, and balanced distribution. In addition to its provable security, it extends indifferentiability from random oracles in sponge-based constructions. Moreover, compared to existing chaos-based hashes, the proposed solution achieves superior performance.

The increasing adoption of unmanned platforms in sectors such as defense, agriculture, and logistics highlights critical challenges, including traversal capability and collision resistance in unstructured terrain. This study investigates the crashworthiness of the developed TAERO UGV using finite element method (FEM) analysis. The structural components critical to collision energy absorption were identified and analyzed. Descriptions of the LS-DYNA simulation model, material properties, and boundary conditions are provided. The primary objective was to numerically assess the bumper performance during impact, considering the operational speeds and crumple zone of the vehicle. An optimized numerical model was introduced to efficiently simulate vehicle collisions, focusing on key structural elements. Various scenarios were simulated to examine deformation, stress distribution, and bumper behaviour. Presented numerical analysis indicates that impacts with typical obstacles, like tree trunks in unstructured terrain, cause minimal damage, not affecting the operational vehicle capability. Minor bumper damage, such as dents, vary and are more noticeable at higher speeds, while almost imperceptible up to 25 km/h. Stress distribution highlights the role of side components in energy absorption and structural deformation. The results confirm the structural integrity of the vehicle and provide valuable data on its operation performance in complex environments during specialized missions.

Pseudo-Random Injections (PRIs) have been used in several applications in symmetric-key cryptography, such as in the idealization of Authenticated Encryption with Associated Data (AEAD) schemes, building robust AEAD, and, recently, in converting a committing AEAD scheme into a succinctly committing AEAD scheme. In Crypto 2024, Bellare and Hoang showed that if an AEAD scheme is already committing, it can be transformed into a succinctly committing scheme by encrypting part of the plaintext using a PRI. In this paper, we revisit the applications of PRIs in building Message Authentication Codes (MACs) and AEAD schemes. First, we look at some of the properties and definitions of PRIs, such as collision resistance and unforgeability when used as a MAC with a small plaintext space, under different leakage models. Next, we show how they can be combined with collision-resistant hash functions to build a MAC for long plaintexts, offering flexible security depending on how the PRI and equality check are implemented. If both the PRI and equality check are leak-free, the MAC provides almost optimal security, but the security only degrades a little if the equality check is only leakage-resilient (rather than leak-free). If the equality check has unbounded leakage, the security drops to a baseline security rather than being completely insecure. Next, we show how to use PRIs to build a succinctly committing online AEAD scheme from scratch, dubbed as scoAE. It achieves succinct CMT4 security, privacy, and Ciphertext Integrity with Misuse and Leakage (CIML2) security. Last but not least, we show how to build a succinctly committing nonce Misuse-Resistant (MRAE) AEAD scheme, dubbed as scMRAE. The construction combines the SIV paradigm with PRI-based encryption (e.g., the Encode-then-Encipher (EtE) framework).

Chaotic systems have been widely employed in constructing hash functions because of their nonlinear characteristics. Nonetheless, some chaotic hash functions are intricately designed, significantly increasing their computational overhead, and some can only generate a single hash value of fixed length, thus lacking flexibility. To overcome the above problems, a novel hash function based on a 2D linear cross-coupled hyperchaotic map (HF-2DLCHM) is introduced and has a parallel feedback structure. Compared to the typical 1D chaotic maps, 2DLCHM has superior dynamic complexity, allowing HF-2DLCHM to resist phase space reconstruction attacks. A parallelizable structure is introduced, enhancing computational efficiency through concurrent processing of operational units. Simultaneously, the feedback mechanism is incorporated to augment the diffusion effect, ensuring better mixing and distribution of information. Moreover, by controlling the size of the input parameter T, the scheme can generate a hash value of bits. The experimental results illustrate that this scheme exhibits distribution, confusion, diffusion and collision resistance characteristics approaching their nearly ideal benchmarks while maintaining an acceptable speed. Therefore, this scheme holds substantial practical potential in the domain of data security and privacy protection.

Agri-food safety issues have received widespread attention globally. The emergence of blockchain technology (BCT) effectively addresses trust issues in the agri-food supply chain traceability system (AFSCTS). However, the append-only feature of blockchain has led to continuous linear data growth in BCT-based AFSCTSs, which increases the equipment requirements and has become a bottleneck for BCT-based AFSCTS applications. The storage capacity required by BCT-based AFSCTSs can be effectively reduced by deleting expired data, thereby reducing the storage pressure on blockchain devices and lowering the device requirements. In this paper, we propose an AFSCTS architecture that incorporates redactable blockchain and InterPlanetary file system (IPFS) technologies to achieve traceability with low storage pressure, using the wheat supply chain as a proof of concept. Firstly, the key links were analyzed in agri-food traceability and the demand was proposed for agri-food blockchain traceability based on the timeliness of traceability data. Secondly, a lightweight accountable parallel blockchain architecture called LAP-chain is proposed. This architecture utilizes redactable blockchain technology to offload expired agri-food traceability data to IPFS, thereby reducing the storage pressure on blockchain devices and ensuring data accountability through IPFS. Finally, we evaluate the correctness, collision resistance, and storage performance of the LAP-chain built on the Ethereum private chain. The results show that when expired agri-food traceability data are permanently retained, the storage capacity of the proposed architecture is only 52.38% of that of the traditional blockchain traceability architecture, after running continuously for 36 months. When traceability data of expired agri-food are deleted in accordance with the food laws and regulations of various countries, the storage capacity of the proposed architecture can be reduced from a linear level to a constant level compared to the traditional blockchain traceability architecture. The proposed architecture has the potential to contribute to improving the safety and quality of agri-food.

Conventional energy-absorbing components have limitations in terms of performance and functionality, including significant variability in reaction forces, inherent instability, and inadequate energy absorption capabilities. This paper presents a threaded shear-type energy-absorbing component designed for anti-impact hydraulic support columns, specifically for ZQL advancing support roadway hydraulic supports. The component operates based on the principle of threaded shear energy absorption. Its key structural parameters—such as thread shape, outer diameter, and pitch—are optimized using single-factor and response surface experimental design methods. Shear simulations are performed to analyze the deformation and force-displacement characteristics across various structural configurations. The impact of different thread parameters on energy absorption performance is evaluated, with quasistatic shear tests and simulations validating the results. The optimized design enhances energy absorption efficiency and provides a foundation for future research on integrating these components into hydraulic support systems to improve overall performance.

The bumper is a crucial vehicle component designed to protect occupants during front and rear collisions. To maximize fuel efficiency, reducing the total mass of vehicle parts is crucial. The bumper is one of the parts that have slightly more weight. This study was aimed at enhancing the impact resistance of the current bumper design to reduce injuries during vehicular collisions. An evaluation of the existing bumper’s frontal impact was conducted. Following the assessment of the current bumper model, alterations were implemented by modifying its materials and shape and enhancing its thickness. Subsequently, a comparative analysis was performed between the revised design and the original model. CATIA was utilized to create the 3D CAD model of the bumper, and LS‐DYNA was then used for finite element analysis utilizing the simulation software. Simulations indicate that the modified bumper’s energy absorption capability surpasses that of existing bumpers made from steel and aluminum alloy by 12.69% and 18.87%, respectively. The impact force of the upgraded aluminum alloy 6061 bumper, which has 4.871 kN, and aluminum alloy 7075 bumper, which has 4.10 kN, is less than that of the current steel bumper, which has 9.78 kN. According to an impact parameter study, the corrugated bumper geometry has a crush force efficiency (CFE) of 81.52%, a total energy absorption (TEA) of 911 J, and a structural energy absorption (SEA) of 148.15 J/Kg. With a SEA of 102.4 J/kg, TEA of 811 J, and CFE of 65.83%, the hollow bumper geometry has lower numbers than these. The deformation slightly increased from 13.5 to 18.1, 20.92, and 23.5 mm, respectively, while the thickness of the improved bumper was altered from 4 to 3.5, 3, and 2.5 mm. However, this does not imply that a thinner bumper is always preferable, and if the deformation gets severe, it might spread into the vehicle’s primary cabin. The von Mises stress, however, rises from 509 to 536, 566, and 592 MPa. It can be said that the optimized model has greatly increased the bumper’s safety and collision resistance without sacrificing the old models’ safety or beauty.

In recent years, hash algorithms have been used frequently in many areas, such as digital signature, blockchain, and IoT applications. Standard cryptographic hash functions, including traditional algorithms such as SHA-1 and MD5, are generally computationally intensive. A principal approach to improving the security and efficiency of hash algorithms is the integration of lightweight algorithms, which are designed to minimize computational overhead, into their architectural framework. This article proposes a new hash algorithm based on lightweight encryption. A new design for the lightweight hash function is proposed to improve its efficiency and meet security requirements. In particular, efficiency reduces computational load, energy consumption, and processing time for resource-constrained environments such as IoT devices. Security requirements focus on ensuring properties such as collision resistance, pre-image resistance, and distribution of modified bit numbers to ensure reliable performance while preserving the robustness of the algorithm. The proposed design incorporates the SPECK lightweight encryption algorithm to improve the structure of the algorithm, ensuring robust mixing and security through confusion and diffusion, while improving processing speed. Performance and efficiency tests were conducted to evaluate the proposed algorithm, and the results were compared with commonly used hash algorithms in the literature. The test results show that the new lightweight hash algorithm has successfully passed security tests, including collision resistance, pre-image resistance, sensitivity, and distribution of hash values, while outperforming other commonly used algorithms regarding execution time.

Parallel cryptographic hash function based on cellular automata and random diffusion model