eSTREAM

eSTREAM was a project initiated by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) to promote the development and adoption of efficient software stream ciphers. The project aimed to identify and standardize a portfolio of high-performance stream ciphers suitable for various applications, particularly in software where hardware encryption might not be feasible. The eSTREAM project ran from 2004 to 2010 and involved multiple rounds of evaluation by a global community of cryptographers.

The project was divided into two profiles: Profile 1, which focused on software implementations, and Profile 2, which prioritized hardware implementations. Submissions were accepted from researchers worldwide, and these algorithms underwent rigorous analysis to assess their security, performance, and other desirable characteristics. The evaluation process included both public scrutiny and formal testing.

After several rounds of selection and refinement, eSTREAM announced its final portfolio of recommended stream ciphers in 2008. For Profile 1 (software), the selected algorithms were HC-128, HC-256, Salsa20, and ChaCha. For Profile 2 (hardware), the chosen algorithms were MICKEY 2.0 and SYNTAX. While eSTREAM no longer actively manages new submissions or rounds, the ciphers it promoted continue to be used in various cryptographic applications and have influenced subsequent cipher designs. The project's success lay in fostering innovation and providing a publicly vetted set of stream ciphers for practical use.