A Reconfigurable Coprocessor for Public-Key Cryptography

In this paper, a novel coprocessor architecture that provides a reconfigurable computing platform for modular exponentiation used in Public-Key cryptography is presented. Combined with other reconfigurable operators such as modular addition (subtraction) module, shift module, logic operation module, the coprocessor can support all Public-Key algorithms much better on prime Filed. The core of the architecture is a two-dimensional array which is made up of reconfigurable function units (RFU or PE). Each RFU can process eight-bits width for completing operations on GF(P) during one calculation period. The performance of the coprocessor is competitive in comparison to fixed functionality hardware implementations and is significantly faster than general purpose public-key cryptographic processor previously reported in the literature. Due to the advantage that it has a better trade-off between performance and area, the reconfigurable coprocessor can compete operation efficiently with a little of area overhead.