Modular Walsh rigidity for Boolean functions of degree at most four

The Walsh coefficients of a bent Boolean function have constant absolute value. We give a sufficient condition based on their residues modulo an odd integer. Let m ≥ 4 and M = 2^m. A Boolean function on 4m variables of algebraic degree at most four is bent if every Walsh coefficient lies in one of the two residue classes ±M² modulo p, where p > 7M/12 is odd. The modulus may be composite. The proof uses the binary digits of the normalized Walsh spectrum, low-weight Reed–Muller codewords, and Fourier inversion on affine subspaces. As an application, we give a sufficient condition for periodic restrictions of rotation-symmetric bent functions of degree at most four to remain bent. Version 2 places the result in the modular Hadamard literature, clarifies the distinction for moduli with distinct prime factors, and proves obstructions to small direct-sum counterexamples modulo 5, 7, and 9. The main bound remains 7M/12.

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Publication Details

Journal
Figshare
Published
2026-11-10
DOI
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.34963642
Primary Topic
Coding theory and cryptography
Type
preprint
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preprint

Modular Walsh rigidity for Boolean functions of degree at most four

Filipe Vono
Figshare
Coding theory and cryptography
preprint

Modular Walsh rigidity for Boolean functions of degree at most four

Filipe Vono
preprint en

Abstract

The Walsh coefficients of a bent Boolean function have constant absolute value. We give a sufficient condition based on their residues modulo an odd integer. Let m ≥ 4 and M = 2^m. A Boolean function on 4m variables of algebraic degree at most four is bent if every Walsh coefficient lies in one of the two residue classes ±M² modulo p, where p > 7M/12 is odd. The modulus may be composite. The proof uses the binary digits of the normalized Walsh spectrum, low-weight Reed–Muller codewords, and Fourier inversion on affine subspaces. As an application, we give a sufficient condition for periodic restrictions of rotation-symmetric bent functions of degree at most four to remain bent. Version 2 places the result in the modular Hadamard literature, clarifies the distinction for moduli with distinct prime factors, and proves obstructions to small direct-sum counterexamples modulo 5, 7, and 9. The main bound remains 7M/12.

Figshare
Coding theory and cryptography
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