# Strict Avalanche Criterion and Avalanche criterion?

What is the difference between Strict Avalanche Criterion(SAC) and Avalanche criterion?

• What research have you done? What were your findings? Why didn't you findings satisfy your needs? For more infos, read How do I ask a good question? – e-sushi Dec 22 '16 at 7:25

The definition of avalanche effect is given in the paper of Webster, A. F. "On the design of S-boxes". Advances in Cryptology - Crypto '85 as :

For a given transformation to exhibit the avalanche effect, an average of one half of the output bits should change whenever a single input bit is complemented.

It is also seen as each bit should have 50% chances to change if you change 1 bit of the input. (strict avalanche)

In the avalanche criterion you look at the output as a whole (average 50% of the bits changes).

In the strict avalanche criterion, you look at each bit one by one and you verify that what ever the other bits will change, it will have a 50% probability to switch.

Related questions:

• Unless you specifically code an algorithm to do something extremely weird, does not avalanche = strict avalanche in all practical regards for a grown up candidate hash function? – Paul Uszak Dec 21 '16 at 23:01
• No. For example you can have a look at the aes s box. The strict criterion is not here. And to check it on hash candidates you would need too much time. – Biv Dec 21 '16 at 23:03

Avalanche criterion, or Avalanche effect is informal. Small changes in inputs should always lead to large changes in outputs.

Consider a vector Boolean function $$f:F_2^n \rightarrow F_2^m$$ with $n$ bit input and $m$ bit output.

Strict Avalanche Criterion (SAC) says that if any input bit is flipped then exactly half of output bits should change. There are higher order versions as well where $k$ input bits are flipped and the same property is required of the output bits.

• The strict avalanche criterion (SAC) is a formalization of the avalanche effect. It is satisfied if, whenever a single input bit is complemented, each of the output bits changes with a 50% probability. it does not say that exactly half of the bits changes, it says each bit have 50% changes. One bit could change and all the other bits could stay the same. Very unlikely but it is possible. – Biv Dec 21 '16 at 21:36
• @Biv, thanks for the clarification, I was obviously remembering wrong. – kodlu Dec 21 '16 at 21:47