A Masked Pure-Hardware Implementation of Kyber Cryptographic Algorithm

Tendayi Kamucheka; Alexander Nelson; David Andrews; Miaoqing Huang

Paper 2022/1547

A Masked Pure-Hardware Implementation of Kyber Cryptographic Algorithm

Tendayi Kamucheka, University of Arkansas

Alexander Nelson, University of Arkansas

David Andrews, University of Arkansas

Miaoqing Huang, University of Arkansas

Abstract

Security against side-channel assisted attacks remains a focus and concern in the ongoing standardization process of quantum-computer-resistant cryptography algorithms. Hiding and masking techniques are currently under investigation to protect the Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) algorithms in the NIST PQC standardization process against sophisticated side-channel attacks. Between hiding and masking, masking is emerging as a popular option due to its simplicity and minimized cost of implementation compared with hiding, which often requires duplication of hardware resources and advanced analysis and design techniques to implement correctly. This work presents a pure hardware implementation of masked CCA2-secure Kyber-512, a candidate chosen by NIST to be standardized. A novel hiding technique that leverages the advantages of FPGAs over micro-controllers and is demonstrably secure against Simple Power Analysis (SPA) and Differential Power Analysis (DPA) side-channel attacks is presented. Finally, a novel hybrid hiding-masking approach is presented that achieves a reduced hardware resource and clock-cycle penalty compared with previously reported figures for similar PQC candidates. The Test Vector Leakage Assessment (TVLA) is adopted to demonstrate the absence of side-channel leakage.

Metadata

Available format(s): PDF
Publication info: Preprint.
Keywords: FPGA Hiding Masking Post-Quantum Cryptography Security
Contact author(s): tfkamuch @ uark edu
ahnelson @ uark edu
dandrews @ uark edu
mqhuang @ uark edu
History: 2022-11-08: approved; 2022-11-07: received; See all versions
Short URL: https://ia.cr/2022/1547
License: CC BY

BibTeX

@misc{cryptoeprint:2022/1547,
      author = {Tendayi Kamucheka and Alexander Nelson and David Andrews and Miaoqing Huang},
      title = {A Masked Pure-Hardware Implementation of Kyber Cryptographic Algorithm},
      howpublished = {Cryptology ePrint Archive, Paper 2022/1547},
      year = {2022},
      note = {\url{https://eprint.iacr.org/2022/1547}},
      url = {https://eprint.iacr.org/2022/1547}
}