Kim-type APN functions are affine equivalent to Gold functions

TL;DR

This paper proves that Kim-type APN functions over finite fields are affine equivalent to Gold functions, implying they are not CCZ equivalent to permutations for even degrees greater than 6.

Contribution

It extends previous characterizations by showing Kim-type APN functions are affine equivalent to Gold functions, clarifying their structure and permutation properties.

Findings

Kim-type APN functions are affine equivalent to Gold functions

Kim-type APN functions are not CCZ equivalent to permutations for even degrees

The result applies for fields with degree at least 8

Abstract

The problem of finding APN permutations of ${\mathbb F}_{2^n}$ where $n$ is even and $n>6$ has been called the Big APN Problem. Li, Li, Helleseth and Qu recently characterized APN functions defined on ${\mathbb F}_{q^2}$ of the form $f(x)=x^{3q}+a_1x^{2q+1}+a_2x^{q+2}+a_3x^3$, where $q=2^m$ and $m\ge 4$. We will call functions of this form Kim-type functions because they generalize the form of the Kim function that was used to construct an APN permutation of ${\mathbb F}_{2^6}$. We extend the result of Li, Li, Helleseth and Qu by proving that if a Kim-type function $f$ is APN and $m\ge 4$, then $f$ is affine equivalent to one of two Gold functions $G_1(x)=x^3$ or $G_2(x)=x^{2^{m-1}+1}$. Combined with the recent result of G\"{o}lo\u{g}lu and Langevin who proved that, for even $n$, Gold APN functions are never CCZ equivalent to permutations, it follows that for $m\ge 4$ Kim-type APN functions on ${\mathbb F}_{2^{2m}}$ are never CCZ equivalent to permutations.