MODULAR EXPONENTIATION IP

 

 

 

The Modular Exponentiation IP is a digital, RTL level, function that performs hardware acceleration for public key algorithms such as RSA, Elliptic Curves, Diffie-Hellman or El Gamal. The Modular Exponentiation IP is best used together with INVIA's RSA Software Library IP  and ECC Software Library IP to provide a turnkey, hardware accelerated, public key cryptography solution for embedded systems. However it can also be used with third parties embedded software libraries.

 

The Modular Exponentiation IP use algorithms that provide a protection side-channel attacks. It supports the Chinese Remainder Theorem (CRT) for maximum throughput.

 

The Modular Exponentiation IP includes a  32 bit APB bus interface to the MCU  and  a 32 bit Read / 32 bit Write bit DMA engine that connects to the system memory.

 

Modular Exponentiation IP block diagram

 

Typical gate count is 10k NAND2 equivalent gates. At 100 MHz (typical 65nm implementation) the Modular Exponentiation IP delivers a 2048-bit CRT-RSA signature in 200 ms  (typical 65nm implementation).

 

 

 

WHAT's COOLHighlights

  • AMBA APB interface for easy SoC integration
  • Includes DMA engine
  • Provides hardware acceleration for INVIA's RSA and ECC Software Libraries
  • 2048-bit CRT-RSA signature generated in 200 ms at 100 MHz (typical 65nm implementation)

 

 

Security FeaturesFeatures

  • 'All square multiply' algorithm for maximum protection against side channel attacks
  • Optional protections against Single Event Transient (SET) fault injections - 10% gate count overhead

 

DeliverablesDeliverables

  • Synthesizable RTL source code 
  • Synthesis scripts for DC Compiler & Synplify 
  • Testbench RTL source code

 

 

The Modular Exponentiation  IP has a strong track record of silicon implementation with volume production in 180nm and 65nm . It has also been implemented on the following FPGAs :  ACTEL Fusion, ACTEL ProASIC and Xilinx Virtex 4. Please contact sales@invia.fr for more information.

Did you know ?

 

Side-channel attacks are a dreadful threat to hardware security because they do not require costly equipment and yet yield very good results for attackers.

 

The most popular side-channel attacks are based on statistical analysis of power traces, either by measuring the device's power consumpion using a oscilloscope or by measuring the device's electro-magnetic field. The equipment cost for such attacks is less than few thousands of dolalrs.

 

Another very popular side-channel attack is based on measuring how much time calculations take to perform.

 

Power analysis attacks against cryptosystems were first introduced in 1998.

 

 

Silicon track recordSilicon track record

  • 180 nm
  • 65 nm