Symfrog-512: High-Capacity Sponge-Based AEAD Cipher (1024-bit State)

TL;DR

Symfrog-512 is a high-capacity sponge-based AEAD cipher with a complete reference implementation, detailed specifications, and benchmark results, designed for independent verification and cryptanalysis within the ideal permutation model.

Contribution

The paper provides a fully specified, implementable AEAD cipher with open source code, benchmark suite, and security analysis within the ideal permutation model.

Findings

Complete reference implementation and test vectors provided

Benchmark results documented under specific hardware and compiler settings

Security claims based on ideal permutation model and empirical analysis

Abstract

This submission includes a complete reference implementation together with deterministic test vectors and a reproducible benchmark suite. All source code, build instructions, and regression artifacts are publicly available in the project repository, enabling independent verification and reimplementation of the scheme. The AEAD construction is fully specified, including domain separation, rate and capacity choices, tag generation, and the exact file format used by the reference CLI. Reported performance numbers are produced by the built in benchmark tool under documented hardware and compiler settings. All security claims are made strictly within the ideal permutation model following standard sponge and duplex bounds, and no stronger guarantees are asserted for the concrete permutation beyond the documented analysis and empirical behavior. The implementation aims for constant time behavior with respect to secret dependent operations, although no formal side channel proof is provided. The project is released under the MIT license, and external cryptanalysis, feedback, and reproducibility checks are explicitly encouraged.