Skip to main content

Evaluation of Lightweight Block Ciphers for Embedded Systems

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Innovative Security Solutions for Information Technology and Communications (SECITC 2015)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNSC,volume 9522))

Included in the following conference series:

  • 1319 Accesses

Abstract

Ubiquitous Computing and the Internet of Things are two paradigms which have gained a lot of popularity lately. They are based on a multitude of low power devices which usually communicate through wireless connections. To avoid security and reliability problems, efficient cryptographic algorithms must be used for authentication, key exchange and message encryption. Due to the wide range of such algorithms and their characteristics, some ciphers are more suitable for implementation on certain platforms than others. In this paper we propose solutions for the implementation and evaluation of block ciphers on 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit microcontrollers. We focus on widely used algorithms such as AES (the tinyAES implementation), as well as others which are suitable for embedded platforms, such as the Simon and Speck family of block ciphers. The conclusions of this paper are drawn based on the performance and energy efficiency of each algorithm.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Lee, H., Lee, K., Shin, Y.: AES implementation and performance evaluation on 8-bit microcontrollers, arXiv preprint (2009). arXiv:0911.0482

  2. Abowd, G.D., Mynatt, E.D.: Charting past, present, and future research in ubiquitous computing. ACM Trans. Comput. Hum. Interact. (TOCHI) 7(1), 29–58 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Buttyan, L., Hubaux, J.-P.: Security and cooperation in wireless networks. In: Thwarting Malicious and Selfish Behavior in the Age of Ubiquitous Computing. Cambridge University Press (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Blumenthal, U., Maino, F., McCloghrie, K.: The advanced encryption standard (AES) cipher algorithm in the SNMP user-based security model. Internet proposed standard RFC 3826 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Hamalainen, P., Alho, T., Hannikainen, M., Hamalainen, T.D.: Design and implementation of low-area and low-power AES encryption hardware core. In: 9th EUROMICRO Conference on Digital System Design: Architectures, Methods and Tools, DSD 2006, pp. 577–583. IEEE (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Passow, P., Stoll, N., Junginger, S., Thurow, K.: A wireless sensor node for long-term monitoring in life science applications. In: IEEE International Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference (I2MTC 2013), pp. 898–901. IEEE (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Moon, D., Hwang, K., Lee, W.I., Lee, S.-J., Lim, J.-I.: Impossible differential cryptanalysis of reduced round XTEA and TEA. In: Daemen, J., Rijmen, V. (eds.) FSE 2002. LNCS, vol. 2365, pp. 49–60. Springer, Heidelberg (2002)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  8. Dalmisli, K.V., Ors, B.: Design of new tiny circuits for AES encryption algorithm. In: 3rd International Conference on Signals, Circuits and Systems (SCS 2009), pp. 1–5. IEEE (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Beaulieu, R., Shors, D., Smith, J., Treatman-Clark, S., Weeks, B., Wingers, L.: The SIMON and SPECK Families of Lightweight Block Ciphers. IACR Cryptology ePrint Archive 2013, p. 404 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Beaulieu, R., Douglas S., Smith, J., Treatman-Clark, S., Weeks, B., Wingers, L.: The SIMON and SPECK Block Ciphers on AVR 8-bit Microcontrollers (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Kaps, J.-P.: Chai-tea, cryptographic hardware implementations of xTEA. In: Chowdhury, D.R., Rijmen, V., Das, A. (eds.) INDOCRYPT 2008. LNCS, vol. 5365, pp. 363–375. Springer, Heidelberg (2008)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  12. Shirai, T., Shibutani, K., Akishita, T., Moriai, S., Iwata, T.: The 128-bit blockcipher CLEFIA (extended abstract). In: Biryukov, A. (ed.) FSE 2007. LNCS, vol. 4593, pp. 181–195. Springer, Heidelberg (2007)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  13. Pramstaller, N., Mangard, S., Dominikus, S., Wolkerstorfer, J.: Efficient AES implementations on ASICs and FPGAs. In: Dobbertin, H., Rijmen, V., Sowa, A. (eds.) AES 2005. LNCS, vol. 3373, pp. 98–112. Springer, Heidelberg (2005)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  14. Wu, W., Zhang, L.: LBlock: a lightweight block cipher. In: Lopez, J., Tsudik, G. (eds.) ACNS 2011. LNCS, vol. 6715, pp. 327–344. Springer, Heidelberg (2011)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  15. Bogdanov, A.: Analysis and design of block cipher constructions. Europischer Univ.-Verlag (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Feldhofer, M., Wolkerstorfer, J., Rijmen, V.: AES implementation on a grain of sand. IEEE Proc. Inf. Sec. 152(1), 13–20 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Knudsen, L.R.: Practically secure Feistel ciphers. In: Anderson, R. (ed.) FSE 1993. LNCS, vol. 809, pp. 211–221. Springer, Heidelberg (1994)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  18. Murphy, S.: The power of NISTs statistical testing of AES candidates. Preprint, 17 January 2000

    Google Scholar 

  19. Soto, J.: Randomness testing of the AES candidate algorithms. In: NIST (1999). csrc.nist.gov

  20. Kumar, S., Paar, C., Pelzl, J., Pfeiffer, G., Schimmler, M.: Breaking ciphers with COPACOBANA – a cost-optimized parallel code breaker. In: Goubin, L., Matsui, M. (eds.) CHES 2006. LNCS, vol. 4249, pp. 101–118. Springer, Heidelberg (2006)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  21. Gneysu, T., Pfeiffer, G., Paar, C., Schimmler, M.: Three years of evolution: cryptanalysis with COPACOBANA. In: Workshop Record of SHARCS (2009)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

The work has been funded by the “Sectoral Operational Programme Human Resources Development 2007–2013 of the Ministry of European Funds” through the Financial Agreements POSDRU/159/1.5/S/134398 and POSDRU 187/ 1.5/S/155420.

This research presented is also supported by the project clueFarm: Information system based on cloud services accessible through mobile devices, to increase product quality and business development farms - PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-0870.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cătălin Leordeanu .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this paper

Cite this paper

Barahtian, O., Cuciuc, M., Petcana, L., Leordeanu, C., Cristea, V. (2015). Evaluation of Lightweight Block Ciphers for Embedded Systems. In: Bica, I., Naccache, D., Simion, E. (eds) Innovative Security Solutions for Information Technology and Communications. SECITC 2015. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 9522. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27179-8_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27179-8_4

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-27178-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-27179-8

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics