Algorithm-agile cryptographic coprocessor based on FPGAs

This contribution describes the design and implementation of an algorithm-agile cryptographic co-processor board. The core of the board is an FPGA which can be dynamically configured with a variety of block ciphers. The FPGA is capable of encrypting data at high speed through an ISA bus interface. The board contains a RAM with a collection of FPGA configuration files. In addition, the algorithms can be added or deleted during operation. The co-processor board also contains other reconfigurable logic and a microprocessor for control functions, and high-speed FIFOs for data storage. We report about the general design, our experiences with this proof-of-concept implementation, and recommendations for future work.