https://github.com/supermarcel10/cryptographicanalysisofsha2
Comparative benchmark of SMT solver effectiveness in cryptographic hash collision discovery for SHA-2 algorithms.
https://github.com/supermarcel10/cryptographicanalysisofsha2
cryptanalysis cryptography research research-paper research-project satisfiability-modulo-theories satisfiability-problem sha2 smt
Last synced: 6 months ago
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Comparative benchmark of SMT solver effectiveness in cryptographic hash collision discovery for SHA-2 algorithms.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/supermarcel10/cryptographicanalysisofsha2
- Owner: Supermarcel10
- License: other
- Created: 2024-11-27T18:09:34.000Z (about 1 year ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-07-19T10:14:08.000Z (6 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-07-19T15:29:36.247Z (6 months ago)
- Topics: cryptanalysis, cryptography, research, research-paper, research-project, satisfiability-modulo-theories, satisfiability-problem, sha2, smt
- Language: Rust
- Homepage:
- Size: 21.8 MB
- Stars: 1
- Watchers: 2
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE.md
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README
# Improving SHA-2 Collisions Using Satisfiability Modulo Theory (SMT) Solvers
> [!CAUTION]
> ⚠️ The `sha2-collision sha2` subcommand is not a viable secure replacement for hashing functions! ⚠️
> This subcommand has been made for a simplified and streamlined verification process, by exposing control over compression rounds and the initial vector.
> If you are looking for sha2 hashing functionality for your Rust project, you likely want the [sha2 crate](https://github.com/RustCrypto/hashes).
## 📄 Table of Contents
* [Improving SHA-2 Collisions Using Satisfiability Modulo Theory (SMT) Solvers](#improving-sha-2-collisions-using-satisfiability-modulo-theory-smt-solvers)
* [📄 Table of Contents](#-table-of-contents)
* [📖 Context](#-context)
* [📝 Introduction](#-introduction)
* [🎯 Aims and Scope](#-aims-and-scope)
* [📊 Results](#-results)
* [🔨 Building](#-building)
* [Running](#running)
* [Subcommands](#subcommands)
* [🧪 Architectures](#-architectures)
* [🖥️ Runners](#-runners)
* [Runner Specifications](#runner-specifications)
* [BIOS Settings](#bios-settings)
* [Solver Versions](#solver-versions)
* [Reproducability](#reproducability)
* [🔬 Testing](#-testing)
* [📁 Project Structure](#-project-structure)
* [🔄 Dependencies](#-dependencies)
* [➕️ Forks & Contributions](#-forks--contributions)
* [📕 License](#-license)
## 📖 Context
### 📝 Introduction
Inspired by Li et Al. 2024, this dissertation project experimented with practical
feasibility of finding SHA-2 collisions using SMT (Satisfiability Modulo Theories) solvers.
While SHA-2 is considered cryptographically secure against collision attacks,
the theoretical possibility of finding collisions through computational methods remains an active area of research.
Automated reasoning tools, such as SMT solvers, present a compelling approach for differential cryptanalysis.
### 🎯 Aims and Scope
The primary aim of this project was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of various SMT
solvers in finding SHA-2 hash collisions, with specific focus on performance analysis and parameter optimisation.
The scope encompasses both theoretical analysis of SMTLIB representation and empirical evaluation of solver
performance under controlled benchmarking conditions.
### 📊 Results
The benchmarking revealed significant performance variations between SMT solvers when applied to SHA-2 collision problems.
Detailed metrics can be found in the `results/` directory. Comparative graphs can be found in `graphs/`.
An extended abstract publication for SMT2025 has been approved, and is awaiting publication.
A [dissertation specific report](docs/Report/Report.pdf) has been written outlining in-depth analysis and information.
## 🔨 Building
> [!IMPORTANT]
> This project makes use of Rust 2024 edition, ensure `rustc --version` outputs `1.85.0` or greater.
> Update rustc by invoking `rustup update`.
1) [Ensure Rust is correctly configured](https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install) on the machine.
2) Invoke `cargo run --release` to build and run using release profile.
3) An executable binary has been produced in `target/release/sha2-collision`.
### Running
> [!NOTE]
> Separate installation of solvers is required to run the `benchmark` subcommand.
> Ensure solvers are in CLI PATH to work properly.
> An error will be thrown if the command does not exist.
To run a specified subcommand, such as `sha2-collision sha2 --help`, you can invoke either:
- `cargo run --release sha2 --help` (This will not invoke a rebuild unless code has been altered)
- `./target/release/sha2-collision sha2 --help`
### Subcommands
Every subcommand and flag has been thorougly documented, with defaults and enumerable options where aplicable.
## 🧪 Architectures
| OS | Supported? | Tested? |
|--------------------|:----------:|:-------:|
| Unix-Like (x86_64) | 🟩 | 🟩 |
| Unix-Like (ARM) | 🟨 | 🟥 |
| DOS-Like (x86_64) | 🟥 | 🟥 |
| DOS-Like (ARM) | 🟥 | 🟥 |
## 🖥️ Runners
### Runner Specifications
| | **Specification** |
|-----------:|:-------------------------------------------:|
| **CPU** | AMD Ryzen 9 5900X |
| **MEM** | 4 x 32GiB DDR4 3600MHz 18-22-22-52-64 1.35V |
| **OS** | NixOS 25.05 (Warbler) x86_64 |
| **KERNEL** | Linux Realtime 6.6.77-rt50 |
### BIOS Settings
| **Setting** | **Value** |
|-----------------------------------:|:------------------------------:|
| **CPU Clock** | 37.00 |
| **CPU Clock Control** | 100.000 MHz |
| **XMP** | DDR4-3600 18-22-22-52-64 1.35V |
| **CPU VCore** | 0.818V |
| **CPU VCore Loadline Calibration** | LOW |
| **CSM Support** | ENABLED |
### Solver Versions
| **Solver** | **Version** | **License** | Notes |
|-----------:|:---------------------:|:-----------:|:----------------------------------:|
| Z3 | 4.13.4 | MIT | |
| CVC5 | 1.2.1 | BSD 3 | |
| Yices | 2.6.5 | GPL3.0 | |
| Bitwuzla | 0.7.0 | MIT | |
| Boolector | 3.2.3 | MIT | |
| STP | 2.3.4 | MIT | Support for SMTLIB 2.0 only |
| Colibri2 | 0.4-dirty | LGPLv2.1 | Portable binary in `solvers/` |
| MathSAT | 5.6.11 (1a1154baf0ab) | Custom | Binary in `solvers/`, autopatchelf |
### Reproducability
This runner can be rebuilt at any time, using the [NixOS configuration](https://github.com/Supermarcel10/NixOSConfig/blob/f1d26ec/devices/E01/configuration.nix).
## 🔬 Testing
Some segments of code have unit tests in order to assert corectness over changes.
In order to run these tests invoke `cargo test`.
## 📁 Project Structure
- `docs/`: Source and produced documentation.
- `graphs/`: Output directory containing produced graphs.
- `proofs/`: SMT solver proofs for finding a contradiction.
- UNSAT implies no contradictions were found, and the encodings are sound.
- `reference/`: Reference documentation, which the project bases on.
- `results/`: Output directory containing deserialized json Benchmark objects, representing each run.
- `smt/`: (Auto-Generated) Output directory containing produced SMTLIB 2.6 format encoding.
- `solvers/`: Helper binaries which were patched, or otherwise modified in some manner.
- For more details, see the solver version notes.
- `src/`: Source code. The code is split into different modules handling each subcommand. Some of these have some overlap, or functions that they share with eachother, but are otherwise independent.
- `benchmark/`: Handles running and parsing benchmarks.
- `data/`: A shared utility module for retrieving data in a unified manner.
- `graphing/`: Handles generation of graphs and any graph components.
- `sha/`: A custom sha2 implementation, shadowing the standard, but also exposing compression rounds, initial vectors and such. Primarily used for verification purposes.
- `smt_lib/`: Handles everything for generating smt2 files with various encodings. Also exposes a utility to load smt files.
- `structs/`: Handles binding structs and traits between modules.
- `verification/`: Handles verification and display outputs.
## 🔄 Dependencies
All dependencies and feature flags are defined in `Cargo.toml`.
For a full listing of dependency licenses, run `cargo license`.
## ➕️ Forks & Contributions
Using this as a template and building ground for futher research is much apprechiated.
If you wish to contribute, make a fork of this repository, and when ready, create a PR.
## 📕 License
This project is licensed under [CC BY-NC-SA](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en).
You are free to share, modify and copy the code with attribution, as long as it is not for commercial purposes.
For more information see [the license](LICENSE.md).