Design and Security Analysis of a Dynamic Key-Based Lightweight Encryption Algorithm for Resource-Constrained Embedded Systems

Neha Saravanan, Shreya Nagendra, Madhumathy P. — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This paper focuses on improving security in resource-constrained embedded systems and Internet of Things (IoT) networks by developing an efficient, lightweight encryption technique with low computational requirements. The proposed approach introduces a dynamic key-based encryption algorithm that combines XOR operations with an iterative key evolution process and a feedback mechanism to strengthen data security. The methodology involves implementing the encryption algorithm in the C programming language and evaluating its performance through statistical analysis using Python tools. Security assessment is carried out using various parameters such as entropy, histogram distribution, correlation coefficient, and avalanche effect to measure the effectiveness of the encryption process. The results demonstrate increased randomness in encrypted data and reduced correlation between plaintext and ciphertext, indicating stronger security characteristics. The main contribution of the work lies in integrating dynamic key evolution with lightweight encryption methods to provide improved protection while maintaining computational efficiency for embedded and IoT applications.

International Journal of Digital Electronics and Microprocessor Technology

Design and Security Analysis of a Dynamic Key-Based Lightweight Encryption Algorithm for Resource-Constrained Embedded Systems