Applicability of lightweight stream cipher in crowd computing: a detailed survey and analysis

In this paper, we explore the integration of lightweight stream ciphers into crowd computing environments, which combine crowdsourcing, automation, and machine learning. We discuss the taxonomy, characteristics, and cryptographic features of stream ciphers, emphasizing their advantages in securing communications within heterogeneous networks involving devices like mobile phones and IoT devices. Efficient encryption methods are crucial for safeguarding private information and ensuring data integrity in such networks. We examine various stream cipher designs, including hardware implementations like Feedback Shift Registers (FSRs) and software implementations utilizing operations such as modular addition, rotation, and XOR (ARX). Additionally, we present a case study on the Sprout cipher, evaluating its randomness properties using statistical tests. We conclude by identifying research challenges and emphasizing the need for optimized lightweight cryptographic algorithms tailored for resource-constrained devices in crowd computing scenarios.