Cryptographic Techniques Research Articles

The role of blockchain to secure internet of medical things

This study explores integrating blockchain technology into the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) to address security and privacy challenges. Blockchain’s transparency, confidentiality, and decentralization offer significant potential benefits in the healthcare domain. The research examines various blockchain components, layers, and protocols, highlighting their role in IoMT. It also explores IoMT applications, security challenges, and methods for integrating blockchain to enhance security. Blockchain integration can be vital in securing and managing this data while preserving patient privacy. It also opens up new possibilities in healthcare, medical research, and data management. The results provide a practical approach to handling a large amount of data from IoMT devices. This strategy makes effective use of data resource fragmentation and encryption techniques. It is essential to have well-defined standards and norms, especially in the healthcare sector, where upholding safety and protecting the confidentiality of information are critical. These results illustrate that it is essential to follow standards like HIPAA, and blockchain technology can help ensure these criteria are met. Furthermore, the study explores the potential benefits of blockchain technology for enhancing inter-system communication in the healthcare industry while maintaining patient privacy protection. The results highlight the effectiveness of blockchain’s consistency and cryptographic techniques in combining identity management and healthcare data protection, protecting patient privacy and data integrity. Blockchain is an unchangeable distributed ledger system. In short, the paper provides important insights into how blockchain technology may transform the healthcare industry by effectively addressing significant challenges and generating legal, safe, and interoperable solutions. Researchers, doctors, and graduate students are the audience for our paper.

Secure data communication in WSHN using EXP-MD5 and DHSK-ECC.

In the Healthcare (HC) sector, the usage of Wireless Sensor Healthcare Networks (WSHN) is attaining specific importance. The sensor device is implanted into the patient's body, and the sensed health information of patients is transformed via data aggregating devices like mobile devices, cameras, and so on, to the doctors. Thus, the early signs of diseases are identified, and remote monitoring of the patient's health is carried out by the physician on time. This aids in improving the health condition of the people and reduces the severity of disorders. But, the security gap in HC remains unresolved, despite various advantages. This work proposes secured data communication in WSHN using Exponential Message Digest5 (EXP-MD5) and Diffie Hellman Secret Key-based Elliptic Curve Cryptography (DHSK-ECC) techniques. Primarily, the patient registers their details in the Hospital Cloud Server (HCS). With hospital ID and patient ID, public and private keys are generated during registration. Afterward, by utilizing the Navie Shuffling (NS) technique, nCr combinations are created and shuffled. After shuffling, any of the randomly selected combinations are encoded utilizing the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) code. For patient authentication, the ASCII code is further converted into a Quick Response(QR) code. Upon successful registration, the patient logs in to HCS. The patient can book for doctor's appointment if the login details are verified with those of the registered details. On consulting the doctor at the pre-informed time, the digital signature is created utilizing the Universal Unique Salt-based Digital Signature Algorithm (UUS-DSA) for authenticating the patient details. Further, for providing accessibility to all the authorized patients, the registered patients on HCS are considered as nodes. Then, an authorized path is created using the EXP-MD5 technique to protect each individual patient's details. The patient's IoT data is sensed, followed by authorized path creation. The data is encrypted via the DHSK-ECC algorithm for secure data transmission. Lastly, all the information is stored in HCS, so that the patient's health condition is regularly monitored by the doctor and the needy advice is suggested to the patients in the future. Also, hash matching is carried out when the doctor needs to access data. The proposed technique's efficacy is validated by the performance analysis in comparison with other conventional techniques. In this proposed research, the authentication is performed in multiple scenarios to enhance data security and user privacy. The patient details are authenticated during registration and verification to access the online consultation only by the authorized person. Further, the patient health information is encrypted in the proposed work after consultation so that the intrusion of medical records by malicious users and data tampering is prevented. Also, the sensed data gathered from patients are transferred to the HCS by creating the authorized path, which further enhances the security of patient data. Thus, the data communication of the WSHN is well-secured in this work through multi-level authentication and improved cryptography techniques.

Network and cybersecurity applications of defense in adversarial attacks: A state-of-the-art using machine learning and deep learning methods

Abstract This study aims to perform a thorough systematic review investigating and synthesizing existing research on defense strategies and methodologies in adversarial attacks using machine learning (ML) and deep learning methods. A methodology was conducted to guarantee a thorough literature analysis of the studies using sources such as ScienceDirect, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, and Web of Science. A question was shaped to retrieve articles published from 2019 to April 2024, which ultimately produced a total of 704 papers. A rigorous screening, deduplication, and matching of the inclusion and exclusion criteria were followed, and hence 42 studies were included in the quantitative synthesis. The considered papers were categorized into a coherent and systematic classification including three categories: security enhancement techniques, adversarial attack strategies and defense mechanisms, and innovative security mechanisms and solutions. In this article, we have presented a systematic and comprehensive analysis of earlier studies and opened the door to potential future studies by discussing in depth four challenges and motivations of adversarial attacks, while three recommendations have been discussed. A systematic science mapping analysis was also performed to reorganize and summarize the results of studies to address the issues of trustworthiness. Moreover, this research covers a large variety of network and cybersecurity applications of defense in adversarial attack subjects, including intrusion detection systems, anomaly detection, ML-based defenses, and cryptographic techniques. The relevant conclusions well demonstrate what have achieved in defense mechanisms against adversarial attacks. In addition, the analysis revealed a few emerging tendencies and deficiencies in the area to be remedied through better and more dependable mitigation methods against advanced persistent threats. The findings of this review have crucial implications for the community of researchers, practitioners, and policy makers in network and cybersecurity using artificial intelligence applications.

Understanding Bitcoin and Blockchain

Blockchain is the technology that enables the existence of cryptocurrency. Bitcoin is the name of the most recognized cryptocurrency, the one for which blockchain technology, as we currently know it, was created. A cryptocurrency is a medium of exchange such as the US dollar, but is digital and uses cryptographic techniques and its protocol to verify the transfer offunds and control the creation of monetary units. Keywords: crypto, digital currency, blockchain, bitcoin.

Confidential Computing in the Cloud: An Overview

Major financial institutions like Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan have employed these hardware-based trusted execution environments (TEEs) and reported a 50% reduction in data breaches and a 40% increase in customer trust. Daily, these companies do billions of transactions in the cloud, leveraging confidentiality computing to ensure the privacy and integrity of their sensitive data. Over the years, confidential computing has evolved significantly, and the emergence of technology to safeguard sensitive information from malicious insiders and external threats now encompasses advanced and complex cryptographic techniques and hardware innovations, offering robust security assurances for cloud-based operations. In this paper, we will talk about foundational technologies and implementation strategies for the core of confidential computing. We will explore benefits, including performance trade-offs and integration complexities. Furthermore, the paper will highlight real-world applications and use cases, showcasing how industries such as finance, healthcare, and government leverage confidential computing to enhance data security and complicate cloud environments.

Algorithm for Key Transparency with Transparent Logs

Background Cryptography plays a crucial role in securing digital communications and data storage. This study evaluates the Transparent Key Management Algorithm utilizing Merkle trees, focusing on its performance and security effectiveness in cryptographic key handling. Methods The research employs simulated experiments to systematically measure and analyze key operational metrics such as insertion and verification times. Synthetic datasets are used to mimic diverse operational conditions, ensuring rigorous evaluation under varying workloads and security threats. Implementation is carried out using R programming, integrating cryptographic functions and Merkle tree structures for integrity verification. Results Performance analysis reveals efficient insertion and verification times under normal conditions, essential for operational workflows. Security evaluations demonstrate the algorithm's robustness against tampering, with approximately 95% of keys verified successfully and effective detection of unauthorized modifications. Simulated attack scenarios underscore its resilience in mitigating security threats. Conclusions The Transparent Key Management Algorithm, enhanced by Merkle trees and cryptographic hashing techniques, proves effective in ensuring data integrity, security, and operational efficiency. Recommendations include continuous monitoring and adaptive algorithms to bolster resilience against evolving cybersecurity challenges, promoting trust and reliability in cryptographic operations.

Investigation of the complex dynamical structure of bifurcation and dark soliton solutions to fractional generalized double [formula omitted]-Gordon equation

In the current research work, the classical wave equation is combined with a nonlinear sinh source term in the sinh-Gordon equation. It has been used in several scientific domains such as differential geometry theory, integrable quantum field theory, kink dynamics, and statistical mechanics. It makes more comprehensible the dynamics of strings and multi-strings in the constant curvature space. The current study has three main objectives. Examine the governing model to get novel solutions by employing the modified Kudryashov technique. Then compare it with the numerical technique of modified variational iteration method (MVIM) to calculate the error terms. Furthermore, employing bifurcation theory to produce a dynamical system. Additionally, use the dynamical system’s sensitivity analysis to investigate the model’s sensitivity. At last, for the validation of acquired results, the cryptography technique of novel image encryption and decryption is used. The research is greatly enhanced by the presentation of thorough 2D and 3D phase portraits. The field of mathematics and other sciences will benefit from these discoveries.

Tightly-Secure Two-Tier Signatures on Code-Based Digital Signatures with Chameleon Hash Functions

In the current landscape where quantum algorithms pose a significant threat to conventional digital signature algorithms, code-based digital signature algorithms have emerged as the primary focus of ongoing research in post-quantum cryptography. Digital signatures play a pivotal role in ensuring non-repudiation and authentication, making them an indispensable cryptographic technique. The vulnerability of most digital signature algorithms to quantum attacks have prompted a significant surge in research on code-based digital signature algorithms, which have emerged as a prominent field within post-quantum cryptography. There are generally three distinct approaches to constructing code-based digital signature algorithms: (1) Developing an algorithm that follows the inverse process of the code-based public-key encryption algorithm; (2) Utilizing zero-knowledge identification algorithms in conjunction with the Fiat–Shamir paradigm to formulate a signature algorithm; (3) Constructing a specialized subset of the syndrome space as the foundation for the digital signature algorithm. Chameleon Signature is a non-interactive signature that operates on the hash and signature paradigm, exhibiting comparable efficiency to conventional schemes. Its distinct advantage lies in the fact that the owner of the public key does not necessarily require access to the corresponding secret key within the Chameleon hash algorithm. Notably, Chameleon signatures possess an inherent characteristic of non-transferability, with their validity ascertainable solely by designated recipients. This paper introduces the first Chameleon hash function based on both KKS and HFE schemes, showcasing its superiority over traditional schemes through rank metrics and big fields for enhanced security. The deployment of Chameleon hash functions within hash-and-sign signature schemes introduces a nuanced layer of security and verification flexibility. This study elucidates the implications of integrating Chameleon hash functions into the recipient’s public key infrastructure, highlighting the dual capability it affords authorized parties for secure and adaptable verification processes, alongside mechanisms for the detection of unauthorized alterations.

Extensive Review of Security and Privacy Issues in Heterogeneous Networks

This paper studies advanced network security, privacy, and performance issues for Heterogeneous Networks (HetNets), which combine multiple types of cells to enhance wireless communication coverage and capacity. The coexistence of heterogeneous network elements inherently leads to considerable issues in terms of security, privacy, and performance. Previous research has primarily addressed security issues using common cryptographic techniques including data encryption with AES, secure key exchange with RSA, and handoff security with mutual authentication. Data anonymization methods and regulatory compliance have been used to address privacy concerns. Allocating resources and managing interference are some of the tactics that have been used in performance optimization. Although the current solutions offer a solid base, they frequently have issues with computational overhead, scalability, and continuous maintenance needs. Performance optimization solutions might not sufficiently handle dynamic network conditions, and privacy protections might not be sufficient to mitigate sophisticated data harvesting operations. This study evaluates existing HetNets solutions using a thorough evaluation and analytical technique. It assesses how well they handle issues with security, privacy, and performance, points out any shortcomings, and suggests areas for further investigation. Our analysis emphasizes the need for improved security mechanisms, including quantum-resistant cryptography, AI-driven threat detection, and technologies that improve privacy, such as differential privacy and homomorphic encryption. Innovative resource management and optimization strategies catered to HetNets' dynamic nature are needed to address performance issues. The necessity of developing new security, privacy, and performance solutions to guarantee the stability and dependability of HetNets is emphasized by this study. Stakeholders can promote the broad adoption and smooth integration of HetNet technology by tackling these obstacles. To sum up, this study offers a thorough analysis of the HetNets' architectural, security, privacy, and performance issues. It lists existing remedies, analyses their drawbacks, and suggests new lines of inquiry for future development to advance the area and improve HetNets' operational capabilities.

A Systematic Review: Post Quantum Cryptography to Secure Data Transmission

A significant topic of contemporary cryptography research and standardization is the development of public key crypto systems that resist attacks from quantum computers. Protocols and applications should start investigating the use of quantum-resistant key exchange and encryption to protect the confidentiality of current communications against future quantum computers utilizing post-quantum cryptography for a particular key exchange. Since they operate harder and need fewer steps compared to conventional computers, quantum algorithms are more secure and robust. Attackers who use quantum computers have powerful computing capabilities, and a quantum allows for simple cryptographic system breaking. Security algorithms that are quantum secure are resistant to attacks from conventional, as well as quantum computers. This work has surveyed, summarized, and analysed previous research to provide readers of this study an integrated understanding of quantum cryptography. It also discusses quantum attacks, which could be used in place of more conventional cryptography techniques, such as quantum key distribution, which takes advantage of quantum mechanics' properties to ensure secure exchanges of the secret keys, and various quantum algorithms. With quantum computation becoming a very real threat, this should motivate more people to show an early interest in the future of cryptography.

Secured and decentralized system for e-voting with hybrid cryptography and Blockchain

Electronic voting is an efficient way of conducting the voting process, which has the characteristics of real-time data and massive data and demands high security. In this paper, we propose a novel approach for electronic voting that utilizes decentralized network architecture with Blockchain and Hybrid cryptography techniques. Our system aims to address the challenges faced in administering EVMs and ensuring high security in strong rooms, which can lead to privacy and security flaws in the voting system. Our proposed model utilizes a wireless mesh topology to enlist vote details and modernize the chain of blocks, resulting in improved data confidentiality and reduced human resources. A customized UDP packet structure is designed to avoid port scanning and network traces, while the use of port numbers is eliminated for increased security. We also incorporate a three-layer encryption stack for secure key exchanges, which ensures perfect forward secrecy and an uncompromised state of the packet. By reducing the number of threads needed for Transport layer Protocol (TCP) connections; our proposed model improves the speed and security of the existing architecture. Overall, our approach offers a highly secure and efficient electronic voting system that meets the demands of secrecy, accuracy, and neutrality in the process of voting and counting. Our proposed system has the potential to prevent poll rigging by trespassers, ensuring a fair and trustworthy electoral process.

Algebraic Structures and Their Applications in Modern Cryptography

Modern cryptography relies heavily on the principles of algebraic structures to ensure the security and integrity of data. This paper explores the fundamental algebraic structures that underpin contemporary cryptographic systems, including groups, rings, fields, and lattices. We provide a detailed examination of how these structures are employed in various cryptographic algorithms and protocols, such as public-key cryptography, digital signatures, and hash functions. an overview of basic algebraic concepts and their properties, followed by an in-depth analysis of their applications in cryptographic schemes. For instance, the use of elliptic curve groups in Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) offers enhanced security with smaller key sizes compared to traditional systems like RSA. Similarly, lattice-based cryptography presents promising solutions for post-quantum security, leveraging the hardness of lattice problems to resist attacks by quantum computers. the role of algebraic structures in the development of advanced cryptographic techniques, such as homomorphic encryption, which allows computations on encrypted data without decryption, and zero-knowledge proofs, which enable the verification of information without revealing the information itself. Through these examples, we illustrate the critical importance of algebraic structures in achieving robust and efficient cryptographic systems.

Advanced authentication of IoT sensor network for industrial safety

As industries rapidly advance towards automation and intelligence, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) plays a pivotal role in enhancing factory efficiency and production management. However, the advent of quantum computing introduces significant security challenges, particularly for data transmission and privacy protection, as its immense computational power can compromise the current cryptographic theories' safeguards. We introduce a novel lattice-based cryptographic authentication and key management scheme specifically designed for the IIoT within Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), focusing on establishing a secure industrial communication system capable of withstanding quantum threats. The proposed scheme utilizes Crystals-Kyber technology and is built around the Learning With Errors (LWE) problem, providing a robust foundation for security against both traditional and quantum threats. It features innovative methods to safeguard against password guessing, stolen verifier, and replay attacks, enhancing data confidentiality and system integrity. By integrating advanced cryptographic techniques resistant to quantum decryption, this research ensures the secure management and utilization of critical production data, supporting the ongoing transformation towards more intelligent manufacturing processes and sustaining global competitiveness for industries.

QHopNN: investigating quantum advantage in cryptanalysis using a quantum hopfield neural network

Cryptanalysis is crucial for securing cryptographic systems, particularly with the advent of quantum computing, which threatens traditional encryption methods. Advanced cryptanalytic techniques are essential for developing robust systems that can withstand quantum attacks, ensuring encrypted data remains secure and accessible only to authorized parties. This paper introduces the Quantum Hopfield Neural Network (QHopNN) as a novel approach to enhance key recovery in symmetric ciphers. This research provides valuable insights into integrating quantum principles with neural network architectures, paving the way for more secure and efficient cryptographic systems. By leveraging quantum principles like superposition and entanglement, along with Hopfield networks’ pattern recognition and optimization capabilities, QHopNN achieves superior accuracy and efficiency in deciphering encrypted data. Additionally, integrating unitary quantum evolution with dissipative dynamics further enhances the cryptographic robustness and efficiency of QHopNN. The proposed framework is rigorously evaluated using prominent symmetric ciphers, including S-AES and S-DES, and benchmarked against existing state-of-the-art techniques. Experimental results compellingly demonstrate the superiority of QHopNN in key recovery, with a mean Bit Accuracy Probability (BAP) of 0.9706 for S-AES and 0.9815 for S-DES, significantly outperforming current methods. This breakthrough opens new avenues for advancing cryptanalysis and sets the stage for pioneering future research in quantum-inspired cryptographic techniques.

Robust data hiding method based on frequency coefficient variance in repetitive compression

Sharing accurate and lossless images with higher quality through digital mediums is challenging, particularly, images shared on social media platforms can serve as good carriers for sending hidden data. However, social media platforms apply severe compression when transferring images end-to-end to serve efficient network transporting bandwidth and provide enough storage space to the users. Within the scope of this research, the proposed method introduces a novel approach by combining cryptographic and steganographic techniques, providing a robust solution to protect hidden data even when subjected to repeatedly compression. The method first encrypts the secret data to be hidden using the Advanced Encryption Standard Cipher Block Chaining (AES-CBC) technique. Then, data hiding is performed on the coefficients obtained by applying Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) to repeatedly compressed JPEG images, coefficients that are minimally affected by compression or remain unaffected are specifically selected for data hiding. Therefore, secret data is extracted with high accuracy. Experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art in achieving robust and effective data hiding techniques based on bit error rate.

Compact and Low-Latency FPGA-Based Number Theoretic Transform Architecture for CRYSTALS Kyber Postquantum Cryptography Scheme

In the modern era of the Internet of Things (IoT), especially with the rapid development of quantum computers, the implementation of postquantum cryptography algorithms in numerous terminals allows them to defend against potential future quantum attack threats. Lattice-based cryptography can withstand quantum computing attacks, making it a viable substitute for the currently prevalent classical public-key cryptography technique. However, the algorithm’s significant time complexity places a substantial computational burden on the already resource-limited chip in the IoT terminal. In lattice-based cryptography algorithms, the polynomial multiplication on the finite field is well known as the most time-consuming process. Therefore, investigations into efficient methods for calculating polynomial multiplication are essential for adopting these quantum-resistant lattice-based algorithms on a low-profile IoT terminal. Number theoretic transform (NTT), a variant of fast Fourier transform (FFT), is a technique widely employed to accelerate polynomial multiplication on the finite field to achieve a subquadratic time complexity. This study presents an efficient FPGA-based implementation of number theoretic transform for the CRYSTAL Kyber, a lattice-based public-key cryptography algorithm. Our hybrid design, which supports both forward and inverse NTT, is able run at high frequencies up to 417 MHz on a low-profile Artix7-XC7A100T and achieve a low latency of 1.10μs while achieving state-of-the-art hardware efficiency, consuming only 541-LUTs, 680 FFs, and four 18 Kb BRAMs. This is made possible thanks to the newly proposed multilevel pipeline butterfly unit architecture in combination with employing an effective coefficient accessing pattern.

The Intersection of Algebra and Cryptography: Enhancing Information Security through Mathematical Foundations

The rapid advancements in digital technologies have necessitated the development of robust information security measures. This paper explores the intersection of algebra and cryptography, focusing on how algebraic principles can enhance cryptographic techniques to provide stronger security foundations. By leveraging mathematical structures such as groups, rings, and fields, we can address critical challenges in encryption, secure communications, and data privacy. This study reviews key algebraic methods used in contemporary cryptographic protocols, including elliptic curve cryptography, homomorphic encryption, and lattice-based cryptography, and demonstrates their practical applications through detailed case studies. Our comparative analysis highlights the superior performance and security of algebra-based cryptographic solutions compared to traditional methods. Finally, we discuss the emerging trends and future directions in algebraic cryptography, emphasizing the potential of these mathematical foundations to address the evolving threats in information security.

Enhancing Security in Modern Transposition Ciphers Through Algorithmic Innovations and Advanced Cryptanalysis

Abstract Columnar transposition ciphers have various vulnerabilities and limitations that render them vulnerable to modern cryptographic threats and advanced cryptanalysis techniques. It is imperative to strengthen the security of these ciphers through algorithmic developments and a greater understanding of their vulnerabilities as the need for secure communication increases. A systematic search will be conducted to find peer-reviewed journal articles on columnar transposition ciphers, including variations, weaknesses, and security enhancements. The structured data analysis approach will focus on key elements such as known cipher variants, vulnerabilities, new algorithms, proposed improvements, and evaluation metrics. The review will provide a comprehensive overview of the existing variants of columnar transposition ciphers, including the classical columnar transposition cipher, double columnar transposition cipher, mutable columnar transposition cipher, route transposition cipher. It will critically analyze the vulnerabilities and limitations of these variants, such as limited key space, patterns and periodicities, lack of diffusion, and susceptibility to known-plaintext attacks and statistical analysis. Additionally, the review will explore modern cryptographic threats and advanced cryptanalysis techniques, including machine learning, brute force attack, differential cryptanalysis, and chosen plaint-text attack etc. New algorithmic advancements will be developed to enhance the security of columnar transposition ciphers. These advancements involve dynamic key generation, column permutation, integration with other cryptographic primitives, and key scheduling algorithms. Additionally, an enhanced version of the columnar transposition cipher algorithm will be detailed, covering its mathematical basis, theoretical structure, and anticipated security upgrades. The effectiveness of the improved algorithm will be assessed in various attack scenarios and threat models, emphasizing security, computational, and performance aspects. The research will enhance the security of columnar transposition ciphers through algorithmic innovation and advanced cryptanalysis. It will identify gaps in existing techniques, recommend future research directions, and highlight potential applications. The findings will have significant implications for cryptography, addressing the need for secure communication.

Kombinasi Kriptografi Modern Dalam Keamanan Pesan Teks

In the rapidly advancing digital era, information security has become a crucial aspect in maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of data. This article discusses the relationship between information system auditing and the use of modern cryptographic combinations in securing text messages. Information system auditing serves as an evaluation mechanism to ensure that security policies, procedures, and standards are correctly and consistently applied. On the other hand, modern cryptography provides advanced encryption technology that protects text messages from unauthorized access and manipulation. By combining these two approaches, we can create a robust framework for securing text messages, ensuring that data remains safe and protected during transmission and storage. Research results indicate that integrating information system auditing with modern cryptographic techniques significantly enhances the security and reliability of information systems.

The Retracing Boomerang Attack, with Application to Reduced-Round AES

Boomerang attacks are extensions of differential attacks that make it possible to combine two unrelated differential properties of the first and second part of a cryptosystem with probabilities p and q into a new differential-like property of the whole cryptosystem with probability p2q2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$p^2q^2$$\\end{document} (since each one of the properties has to be satisfied twice). In this paper, we describe a new version of boomerang attacks which uses the counterintuitive idea of throwing out most of the data in order to force equalities between certain values on the ciphertext side. In certain cases, this creates a correlation between the four probabilistic events, which increases the probability of the combined property to p2q\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$p^2q$$\\end{document} and increases the signal-to-noise ratio of the resultant distinguisher. We call this variant a retracing boomerang attack since we make sure that the boomerang we throw follows the same path on its forward and backward directions. To demonstrate the power of the new technique, we apply it to the case of 5-round AES. This version of AES was repeatedly attacked by a large variety of techniques, but for twenty years its complexity had remained stuck at 232\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$2^{32}$$\\end{document}. At Crypto’18, it was finally reduced to 224\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$2^{24}$$\\end{document} (for full key recovery), and with our new technique, we can further reduce the complexity of full key recovery to the surprisingly low value of 216.5\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$2^{16.5}$$\\end{document} (i.e., only 90, 000 encryption/decryption operations are required for a full key recovery). In addition to improving previous attacks, our new technique unveils a hidden relationship between boomerang attacks and two other cryptanalytic techniques, the yoyo game and the recently introduced mixture differentials.