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| Image: Astrid Eckert / TUM |
Recently, scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany, have designed and manufactured a revolutionary computer chip that effectively applies post-quantum cryptography. This groundbreaking advancement includes the use of artificial intelligence (AI) programs to reconstruct the chip's functions, aiming to test and verify the presence of potential Trojan horses embedded within the chip.
The Quantum Computing Threat
The advent of quantum computing technology poses a significant threat to many current cryptographic algorithms, particularly the widely-used public key cryptographic algorithms that safeguard digital information. As a result, security experts globally are engaged in developing technical standards for "post-quantum cryptography" and addressing the myriad challenges associated with transitioning from traditional public-key cryptographic infrastructure to post-quantum cryptography. One of the primary challenges is the high computational demand of post-quantum encryption methods.
The Innovative Chip Design
A team led by George Siegel, a professor of information security at TUM, has designed and manufactured a chip capable of efficiently implementing post-quantum cryptography. This chip is an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), typically tailored to meet the requirements of specific electronic systems. Siegel's team enhanced an open-source chip design based on the RISC-V standard by employing a hardware and software co-design methodology. They modified the computing core, accelerated special instructions for essential computing operations, and extended the design with a dedicated hardware accelerator to significantly enhance post-quantum encryption performance.
Performance and Efficiency
The new chip supports the most promising post-quantum cryptographic algorithm, Kyber, and another alternative algorithm, SIKE, which demands more computing power. When compared to a chip solely reliant on software solutions, this ASIC achieves Kyber encryption speeds approximately 10 times faster and consumes around 8 times less energy. For SIKE encryption, the speed is 21 times faster than that of a software-based chip, highlighting its potential as a viable alternative. This efficiency is particularly beneficial in scenarios where the chip is used for extended periods, making it a valuable preventive measure.
Addressing the Hardware Trojan Threat
The threat posed by hardware Trojans in post-quantum cryptography is escalating. If an attacker manages to implant a Trojan horse circuit into the chip design during or before manufacturing, it could have dire consequences. To counter this, Siegel and his team adopted the perspective of attackers, developing and concealing four distinct Trojan horse programs within their post-quantum chip.
In the coming months, Siegel and his team will focus on evaluating the chip's encryption capabilities and the functionality and detectability of the hardware Trojans. Siegel has developed an innovative AI program that can reverse-engineer the chip's exact functions, even in the absence of available documentation. This process involves meticulously polishing the chip's conductor tracks layer by layer, photographing each layer, and using the AI program to reconstruct the chip's exact functions.
Future Implications
This AI-driven reconstruction can help identify chip components that do not serve their intended purposes and may indicate the presence of embedded Trojans. Siegel envisions that this procedure could become a standard practice for spot-checking large chip orders in the future. By combining effective post-quantum encryption technology with these advanced verification methods, we can enhance the security of hardware used in factories and vehicles.
The work of Siegel and his team at TUM represents a significant step forward in ensuring the security of digital information in the post-quantum era, making substantial strides toward safeguarding our digital future against the looming threats posed by quantum computing.
This new development at the Technical University of Munich showcases the critical advancements in post-quantum cryptography and the innovative methods being employed to secure our digital infrastructure. As the world moves closer to the quantum computing age, these pioneering efforts are essential in maintaining robust security standards.