This month, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced the selection of a new family of cryptographic algorithms called ASCON, which have been developed for lightweight cryptography applications. Always ready to support our customers with the latest security standards, Rambus is pleased to announce the availability of the ASCON-IP-41 Crypto Engine IP core.
The ASCON cryptographic algorithms are designed to protect data created and transmitted by Internet of Things (IoT) devices. These devices require robust security, but their small size means that they have resource constraints. This is where lightweight cryptography comes in as it means that symmetric cryptography can be used to achieve the required level of security, all while ensuring the efficient use of a device’s resources. Check out our white paper for background information on Lightweight Cryptography, as well as a closer look at the ASCON algorithms.
The ASCON-IP-41 Crypto Engine supports the two primary algorithms proposed under the ASCON family: ASCON-128/HASH and ASCON-128A/HASHA, for both authenticated encryption with associated data (AEAD) and HASH modes of operation. With minimal area requirements, the ASCON-IP-41 crypto engine is extremely suitable for several low-cost and low-power applications.
Example use cases include:
- Lightweight secure boot for (battery operated) IoT devices
- Crypto foundation of small size root of trust implementations
- Vehicle-to-Vehicle communication
- Digital fingerprinting of messages
- RFID tag message counterfeiting protection
Download the ASCON-IP-41 product brief to get the full details on this new ASCON-compliant IP solution.
Wondering how you can use lightweight cryptography to reduce power AND keep the same level of security in your next IoT design? Contact our security IP team to kick off the discussion!
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