# DNA-PRESENT: An Improved Security and Low-Latency, Lightweight Cryptographic Solution for IoT
###### Abstract
The DNA-based symmetric cryptographic algorithm in [56] partitions encryption data into blocks and employs a symmetric secret key that is directly extracted from a set of chromosomes; its implementation on Raspberry Pi's platform indicated low power consumption and reduced algorithmic complexity. The Chinese remainder theorem was utilized to construct a knapsack algorithm by [PERSON] [57], as the method is a public-key encryption system and the dissemination is slower than private-key encryption. They improved the performance by employing DNA encoding along with the Rail Fence, resulting in additional expected security. In the year 2021 [18], [PERSON] introduced a two-layer encryption scheme based on genetics and DNA operations. The researcher explained that the randomness in the nucleotide bases can be efficiently applied to create reliable yet robust cryptographic schemes. The two-layer architecture efficiently integrates the DNA properties, with a first traditional layer of Feistel and SPN structure designed to offer [PERSON]'s confusion and diffusion properties using conventional operations such as XOR, XNOR, and shift. The second layer was inspired by the Central Dogma of Molecular Biology (CDMB), using DNA replication as an additive low-cost diffusion solution. The DNA replication process simulates the natural process of genetics. The mathematical simulation of this natural process has the following steps--DNA coding, Transcription, Translation, and Reverse Transcription--depicting a complete biological replication process, as presented in Figure 3. The proposed algorithm was evaluated on its throughput and execution time to validate the expected improvements. Moreover, the authors also compared the proposed algorithm against other state-of-the-art algorithms to prove that fast processing and improved security were achieved. All these abovementioned researches highlight that the inherent diffusion-based shortcomings of cryptographic solutions can be addressed using DNA cryptography. Moreover, a thorough evaluation of security, cost, and performance is necessary to assess the impact of these improvements on the overall effectiveness of the system, as presented in Figure 1.  
In this article, we propose the integration of CDMB-inspired DNA replication, along with left-right shifts, in the PRESENT block cipher as a low-cost diffusion solution, called DNA-PRESENT. This enhancement increases the confusion and diffusion properties while keeping the block and key size unchanged. DNA-PRESENT was thoroughly evaluated and the obtained results from the avalanche effect, correlation coefficient, and bit error rate tests prove the improved diffusion and security, where hardware evaluation endorses better performance with increased cost. This study differentiates itself from past efforts to improve the PRESENT block cipher in two major respects. First, it introduces a DNA-based replication approach to facilitate low-cost confusion and diffusion, a novel method not previously investigated. Although other methods have been used, they come with their own limitations, as highlighted earlier. This research also extensively tests the algorithm, covering parameters such as security, cost, and performance, thereby addressing all three components of the LWC evaluation triangle (Figure 1). Unlike previous enhancements, which are often assessed based on a single property, this study's methodology provides a robust framework that could be used as an evaluation standard for future LWC algorithms as well. The paper's organization follows the current section as an introduction. Section 2 provides a detailed description of the PRESENT block cipher. Section 3 discusses the design details of the proposed DNA-PRESENT and the design decisions. Section 4 presents the security cost, performance analysis, and a detailed discussion highlighting the research findings. Section 5 outlines a differential cryptanalysis approach of DNA-PRESENT to find the optimal number of rounds.