How to stretch random functions: The security of protected counter sums (Q1304976)

In the paper a construction of a variable-length input unpredictable random function from a fixed-length unpredictable random function is given. Particularly, so called ``protected counter sum'' construction is given and shown that if the underlying function is unpredictable then also the function resulting from the construction is unpredictable. While relevant ideas in the protected counter sum construction seem to be published previously, here the exact security analysis, albeit in a rather terse, ``telegraphic'' style is given. Also several advantages over known chaining and cascading techniques are briefly discussed.