{"id":{"repo_id":"carleton","oai_identifier":"oai:carleton.scholaris.ca:20.500.14718/29749"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/carleton/oai:carleton.scholaris.ca:20.500.14718/29749","repository":{"repo_id":"carleton","name":"Carleton University","base_url":"https://carleton.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Public key cryptography and the zero-one knapsack problem","abstract":"This paper reviews several popular symmetric cryptosystems, monoalphabetic and polyalphabetic. Their susceptibility to cryptanalysis is examined. Asymmetric cryptosystems are introduced through public key cryptography. The Rivest-Shamir-Adelman cryptosystem is explained. Then the Merkle-Hellman system based on the zero-one knapsack problem is presented. Standard attacks on the zero-one knapsack problem are rejected as too time-consuming. Herlestam's proposed attack is discussed in detail. The results of theoretical examination and computer tests show that it is not quick, as claimed. The recent polynomial time algorithm of A. Shamir solving most instances of the Merkle-Hellman system is studied in detail.","abstract_html":"This paper reviews several popular symmetric cryptosystems, monoalphabetic and polyalphabetic. Their susceptibility to cryptanalysis is examined. Asymmetric cryptosystems are introduced through public key cryptography. The Rivest-Shamir-Adelman cryptosystem is explained. Then the Merkle-Hellman system based on the zero-one knapsack problem is presented. Standard attacks on the zero-one knapsack problem are rejected as too time-consuming. Herlestam's proposed attack is discussed in detail. The results of theoretical examination and computer tests show that it is not quick, as claimed. The recent polynomial time algorithm of A. Shamir solving most instances of the Merkle-Hellman system is studied in detail.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Cobb, Simon, 1950-"],"institution":"Carleton University","degree_name":"Master of Science (M.Sc.)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":"Information and Systems Science","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1983,"date_issued":"1983","date_published":"1983","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:34:41Z","subjects":[],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Copyright © 1983 the author(s). Theses may be used for non-commercial research, educational, or related academic purposes only. Such uses include personal study, research, scholarship, and teaching. Theses may only be shared by linking to Carleton University Institutional Repository and no part may be used without proper attribution to the author. No part may be used for commercial purposes directly or indirectly via a for-profit platform; no adaptation or derivative works are permitted without consent from the copyright owner."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["10.22215/etd/1983-12478"],"render_values":[{"text":"10.22215/etd/1983-12478","href":"https://doi.org/10.22215/etd/1983-12478","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14718/29749","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Cobb, Simon, 1950-"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-04-08T16:59:48Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-04-08T16:59:48Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["1983"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Carleton University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Information and Systems Science"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (M.Sc.)"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright © 1983 the author(s). Theses may be used for non-commercial research, educational, or related academic purposes only. Such uses include personal study, research, scholarship, and teaching. Theses may only be shared by linking to Carleton University Institutional Repository and no part may be used without proper attribution to the author. No part may be used for commercial purposes directly or indirectly via a for-profit platform; no adaptation or derivative works are permitted without consent from the copyright owner."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["10.22215/etd/1983-12478"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14718/29749"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This paper reviews several popular symmetric cryptosystems, monoalphabetic and polyalphabetic. Their susceptibility to cryptanalysis is examined. Asymmetric cryptosystems are introduced through public key cryptography. The Rivest-Shamir-Adelman cryptosystem is explained. Then the Merkle-Hellman system based on the zero-one knapsack problem is presented. Standard attacks on the zero-one knapsack problem are rejected as too time-consuming. Herlestam's proposed attack is discussed in detail. The results of theoretical examination and computer tests show that it is not quick, as claimed. The recent polynomial time algorithm of A. Shamir solving most instances of the Merkle-Hellman system is studied in detail."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Public key cryptography and the zero-one knapsack problem"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Cobb, Simon, 1950-"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2025-04-08T16:59:48Z"],"dc:date.available":["2025-04-08T16:59:48Z"],"dc:date.issued":["1983"],"dc:description.abstract":["This paper reviews several popular symmetric cryptosystems, monoalphabetic and polyalphabetic. Their susceptibility to cryptanalysis is examined. Asymmetric cryptosystems are introduced through public key cryptography. The Rivest-Shamir-Adelman cryptosystem is explained. Then the Merkle-Hellman system based on the zero-one knapsack problem is presented. Standard attacks on the zero-one knapsack problem are rejected as too time-consuming. Herlestam's proposed attack is discussed in detail. The results of theoretical examination and computer tests show that it is not quick, as claimed. The recent polynomial time algorithm of A. Shamir solving most instances of the Merkle-Hellman system is studied in detail."],"dc:identifier.doi":["10.22215/etd/1983-12478"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14718/29749"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher":["Carleton University"],"dc:rights":["Copyright © 1983 the author(s). Theses may be used for non-commercial research, educational, or related academic purposes only. Such uses include personal study, research, scholarship, and teaching. Theses may only be shared by linking to Carleton University Institutional Repository and no part may be used without proper attribution to the author. No part may be used for commercial purposes directly or indirectly via a for-profit platform; no adaptation or derivative works are permitted without consent from the copyright owner."],"dc:title":["Public key cryptography and the zero-one knapsack problem"],"dc:type":["thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Information and Systems Science"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (M.Sc.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:34:41Z"}