A survey of some applications of finite fields (Q908045)

Finite fields have numerous applications, best known is their fundamental role in cryptography and coding theory. This survey paper reviews some applications of finite fields, where emphasis is put on applications which are possibly less well known. The paper starts with a collection of basic properties of finite fields in Sections 1. References to the standard literature are given. Section 2 is dedicated to applications in cryptography. In a concise way, Diffie-Hellman key exchange, the ElGamal system, the principles of AES and Shamir's threshold scheme are explained. In more detail two code-based public key cryptosystems are discussed, which possibly are not so widely known: The McEliece cryptosystem [DNS Progress Report 42--44, 114--116 (1978)], and the Niederreiter cryptosystem [Probl. Control Inf. Theory 15, 159--166 (1986; Zbl 0611.94007)]. Section 3 is on finite fields and digital nets, which provide evenly distributed sample points for quasi-Monte Carlo methods which are applied e.g., in numerical integration. The digital method introduced in [the author, Monatsh. Math. 104, 273--337 (1987; Zbl 0626.10045)], and a.o. methods from [the author, Czech. Math. J. 42, No. 1, 143--166 (1992; Zbl 0757.11024)], and [the author and \textit{G. Pirsic}, Acta Arith. 97, No. 2, 173--182 (2001; Zbl 0972.11066)] are explained. Section 4 deals with the application of finite fields in pseudorandom number generation. Shift-register methods, nonlinear congruential methods and digital nonlinear methods are discussed, and for pseudorandom vector generation, the matrix method, and the more sophisticated vector recursions of higher order are mentioned, of which a special instance is the Mersenne twister by \textit{M. Matsumoto} and \textit{T. Nishimura} [ACM Trans. Model. Comput. Simul. 8, No. 1, 3--30 (1998; Zbl 0917.65005)].