Symmetric-Key Encryption Based on Bioaffinity Interactions

Abstract

The research presented here shows a bridge between biochemistry and cryptography. Enzyme-based assays were used in a new methodology linked to ciphers and cipher systems. Three separate enzyme assays, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (E.C. 3.1.3.1), lysozyme (E.C. 3.2.1.17), and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) (E.C. 1.11.1.7), were used to create a cipher key in order to encrypt a message. By choosing certain parameters for one’s experiment that are performed in the same way as a person receiving the message, correct encryption and decryption keys would be produced, resulting in a correct encryption and decryption of a message. It is imperative that both parties perform the same experiment under the same conditions in order to correctly interpret the message. Bioaffinity-based assays, in particular enzymatic assays, provide a specific, yet flexible mechanism to use for the encryption of messages. Because of the nature of this process there are a multitude of sets of parameters that may be chosen, each of which would result in a different key being produced, heightening the security and the robustness of the method. This paper shows that by using this concept of forming encryption keys using a bioaffinity-based approach, one is able to properly encrypt and decrypt a message, which could be viable for other biochemically based techniques.

Orthogonal Images Concealed Within a Responsive 6‐Dimensional Hypersurface

“…As late as World War II, fruit juices, urine, and vinegarinks that darken upon heating-were still used to transmit messages clandestinely. Modern invisible ink schemes invoke fluorescent chemicals, [3][4][5][6] metal-organic frameworks, [7] nanoparticles, [8,9] DNA, [10,11] proteins, [12,13] and even living organisms, [14] but in the cat-and-mouse world of steganography, there will always be a need for new inks that reveal hidden messages in response to an appropriate stimulus.…”

“…As late as World War II, fruit juices, urine, and vinegarinks that darken upon heating-were still used to transmit messages clandestinely. Modern invisible ink schemes invoke fluorescent chemicals, [3][4][5][6] metal-organic frameworks, [7] nanoparticles, [8,9] DNA, [10,11] proteins, [12,13] and even living organisms, [14] but in the cat-and-mouse world of steganography, there will always be a need for new inks that reveal hidden messages in response to an appropriate stimulus.Here we report new approaches to concealing information that rely upon creating microscale patterns composed of different polymer brushes, where at least one has an optically detectable response to external stimuli. In the first, thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) brushes are patterned alongside nonresponsive poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (pDMA) polymers of the same height (Figure 1A).…”

Recent Advances in Noninvasive Biosensors for Forensics, Biometrics, and Cybersecurity

“…Lastly, the use of biosensors for cybersecurity is a growing trend. The use of sensors for authentication of an individual and a novel methodology related to cryptography were recently developed [ 150 , 151 ]. The first paper represents a review with the aim of introducing a multi-assay wearable biosensor that would provide continuous tracking of a person’s sweat metabolites for authentication purposes.…”

“…By monitoring these assays, one can produce output data that would be beneficial in the authentication of a person with many cybersecurity applications. The second paper illustrates the use of three enzyme assays in order to encrypt a short message using a basic cipher [ 151 ]. The three enzymatic assays used involved HRP, lysozyme, and ALP.…”

Encrypting messages with artificial bacterial receptors

“…In such studies [4][5][6], the emission patterns generated by the probes are used to encode or conceal data [7,8]. One potential advantage of using molecule-based security devices [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] over conventional electronic security systems is that the former cannot be subjected to electronic surveillance [4][5][6]. The small scale, versatility, and unusual operating principles are additional properties that significantly complicate finding and breaking into molecular security systems.…”