Codes, Bent Functions and Permutations Suitable For DES-like Cryptosystems

Almost bent functions oppose an optimum resistance to linear and differential cryptanalysis. We present basic properties of almost bent functions; particularly we give an upper bound on the degree. We develop the “coding theory” point of view for studying the existence of almost bent functions, showing explicitly the links with cyclic codes. We also give new characterizations of almost bent functions by means of associated Boolean functions.