Camellia: A 128-Bit Block Cipher Suitable for Multiple Platforms

TLDR: Camellia as discussed by the authors is a new 128-bit block cipher with 128-, 192-, and 256-bit key lengths, which was designed to withstand all known cryptanalytic attacks and even to have a sufficiently large security leeway for use of the next 10-20 years.

Abstract: We present a new 128-bit block cipher called Camellia. Camellia sup- ports 128-bit block size and 128-, 192-, and 256-bit key lengths, i.e. the same interface specifications as the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). Camellia was carefully designed to withstand all known cryptanalytic attacks and even to have a sufficiently large security leeway for use of the next 10-20 years. There are no hidden weakness inserted by the designers. It was also designed to have suitability for both software and hardware implementations and to cover all possible encryption applications that range from low-cost smart cards to high-speed network systems. Compared to the AES finalists, Camellia offers at least comparable encryption speed in software and hardware. An optimized implementation of Camellia in assembly language can en- crypt on a PentiumIII (800MHz) at the rate of m ore than 276 Mbits per second, which is much faster than the speed of an optimized DES implementation. In ad- dition, a distinguishing feature is its small hardware design. The hardware design, which includes key schedule, encryption and decryption, occupies approximately 11K gates, which is the smallest among all existing 128-bit block ciphers as far as we know. It perfectly meet current market requirements in wireless cards, for instance, where low power consumption is a mandaroty condition.