A new characterization of almost bent functions
We study the functions from F2m into F2m for odd m which oppose an optimal resistance to linear cryptanalysis. These functions are called almost bent. It is known that almost bent functions are also almost perfect nonlinear, i.e. they also ensure an optimal resistance to differential cryptanalysis but the converse is not true. We here give a necessary and sufficient condition for an almost perfect nonlinear function to be almost bent. This notably enables us to exhibit some infinite families of power functions which are not almost bent.
We present the Penrose limits of a complex marginal deformation of $AdS_5\times S^5$, which incorporates the $SL(2,\mathbb{R})$ symmetry of type IIB theory, along the $(J,0,0)$ geodesic and along the $(J,J,J)$ geodesic. We discuss giant gravitons on the deformed $(J,0,0)$ pp-wave background.