Cryptonite - A Programmable Crypto Processor Architecture for High-Bandwidth Applications

Cryptographic methods are widely used within networking and digital rights management. Numerous algorithms exist, e.g. spanning VPNs or distributing sensitive data over a shared network infrastructure. While these algorithms can be run with moderate performance on general purpose processors, such processors do not meet typical embedded systems requirements (e.g. area, cost and power consumption). Instead, specialized cores dedicated to one or a combination of algorithms are typically used. These cores provide very high bandwidth data transmission and meet the needs of embedded systems. However, with such cores changing the algorithm is not possible without replacing the hardware. This paper describes a fully programmable processor architecture which has been tailored for the needs of a spectrum of cryptographic algorithms and has been explicitly designed to run at high clock rates while maintaining a significantly better performance/area/power tradeoff than general purpose processors....

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2004
• Where: ARCS
• Authors: Rainer Buchty, Nevin Heintze, Dino Oliva
• Keywords: Algorithm, ARCS 2004, Cryptographic Algorithms, General Purpose Processors