/chacha20-hash-lightweight-cryptographic-hash-function-based-on-chacha20

A lightweight cryptographic hash function inspired by ChaCha20, designed for speed, simplicity, and efficiency in resource-constrained environments. Ideal for embedded systems, research, and educational purposes. Not intended for production use without further cryptanalysis.

Primary LanguagePython

🔐 ChaCha20-Hash - Lightweight Cryptographic Hash Function based on ChaCha20

ChaCha20-Hash is a novel cryptographic hash function inspired by the ChaCha20 stream cipher. This project explores how ChaCha20's internal permutation structure can be repurposed to create a secure, fast, and efficient hash function that meets modern cryptographic standards.

📌 Table of Contents

🎯 Project Objective

  • Develop a cryptographic hash function using ChaCha20's quarter-round transformations.
  • Ensure core security properties:
    • Pre-image resistance
    • Collision resistance
    • Strong avalanche effect
  • Implement and test the algorithm against standard cryptographic benchmarks.
  • Compare performance with industry-standard hash functions like SHA-256, SHA-3, and BLAKE2.

🧠 Background & Motivation

Modern cryptographic systems rely heavily on secure hash functions for integrity, authentication, and digital signatures.
ChaCha20 is a fast, secure stream cipher well-regarded in real-world applications (e.g., TLS, WireGuard, SSH). While not designed for hashing, its internal mixing structure offers promising properties for transformation-based hash design.

ChaCha20-Hash is an experimental design aimed at reusing ChaCha20's proven cryptographic core to explore a novel approach to hashing.

🧱 Methodology

🔸 Design

  • Use a sponge-like or HAIFA-inspired construction to process input blocks.
  • Define input padding, state initialization, and output extraction.
  • Use ChaCha20's core transformations (quarter-rounds, rotations) for state mixing.

🔸 Implementation

  • Implemented in Python for prototyping; future optimization in Rust or C.
  • Modular design:
    • Input pre-processing
    • ChaCha-based state transformation
    • Output extraction (e.g., 256-bit or 512-bit hash)

🔸 Testing

  • Validate security properties:
    • Collision and pre-image resistance
    • Avalanche effect
  • Perform randomness analysis using:
    • NIST STS
    • Dieharder
    • ENT

⚙️ Tech Stack

Component Technology
Language Python (prototype), Rust or C (optimized)
Crypto Library PyCryptodome / RustCrypto / Custom
Testing Tools NIST STS, Dieharder, ENT
Documentation Markdown, LaTeX (reporting)
Version Control Git + GitHub

🧪 Evaluation Criteria

Property Evaluation Method
Collision Resistance Attempted collision generation
Pre-image Resistance Reversibility testing
Avalanche Effect Bit-flip + Hamming distance analysis
Output Uniformity Entropy and frequency tests
Performance Throughput in MB/s

📊 Benchmarking Plan

  • Compare ChaCha20-Hash against:
    • SHA-256
    • SHA-3
    • BLAKE2b
  • Metrics:
    • Speed (MB/s)
    • Hash uniformity
    • Output entropy
    • Memory usage

📎 References