Hardware-based encryption
Hardware-based encryption is the use of Computer Hardware to assist software, or sometimes replace software, in the process of Data Encryption. Typically, this is implemented as part of the Processor's instruction set. For example, the AES encryption algorithm (a modern Cipher) can be implemented using the AES instruction set on the ubiquitous x86 architecture.[1] Such instructions also exist on the ARM architecture.[2] However, more unusual systems exist where the cryptography module is separate from the Central Processor, instead being implemented as a Coprocessor, in particular a Secure cryptoprocessor, of which an example is the IBM 4764[3]. Hardware implementations can be faster and less prone to exploitation than traditional software implementations.[4] However, hardware implementations use additional space on the Processor Die, and any security vulnerability (such as Spectre) cannot be solved with a software update.[5]
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- ^ Intel® 64 and IA-32 Architectures Software Developer’s Manual (PDF). Intel. December 2017. pp. 303–309.
- ^ ARM® Cortex®-A57 MPCore Processor Cryptography Extension (PDF). ARM Holdings. 17 December 2017.
- ^ "4767 Cryptographic Coprocessor". IBM. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ P. Schmid and A. Roos (2010). "AES-NI Performance Analyzed". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ Staff (2018). "Meltdown and Spectre". Graz University of Technology. Archived from the original on 3 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
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