Paper 2018/315

Secure Multiplication for Bitslice Higher-Order Masking: Optimisation and Comparison

Dahmun Goudarzi and Anthony Journault and Matthieu Rivain and François-Xavier Standaert

Abstract

In this paper, we optimize the performances and compare several recent masking schemes in bitslice on 32-bit arm devices, with a focus on multiplication. Our main conclusion is that efficiency (or randomness) gains always come at a cost, either in terms of composability or in terms of resistance against horizontal attacks. Our evaluations should therefore allow a designer to select a masking scheme based on implementation constraints and security requirements. They also highlight the increasing feasibility of (very) high-order masking that are offered by increasingly powerful embedded devices, with new opportunities of high-security devices in various contexts.