Re: Java Source For Asymmetric Key Ciphers

Paul Rubin wrote:
> "Tom St Denis" <tomstdenis@gmail.com> writes:
> > So you can use the DW8051 that comes with your cell library ... or
> > fetch a 32-bit 5-stage MIPS/Mhz processor off opencores and use it for
> > free as well... etc. ARM processors are already highly area efficient
> > and a hell of a lot more efficient in terms of mips/watt than an 8051
> > or 6805. I mean you'd have to clock an ARM down around <100Khz to
> > match the throughput of operations of an 8051.
>
> I think power efficiency isn't a big issue for smart cards. If you
> offer today's smart card buyer a choice between 50% power savings or
> 2% cost savings, he'll take the 2% cost savings without hesitating for
> an instant. Question is, how many gates (chip area) does an ARM need
> compared with the 8 bitter?

About 1 or 2 mm^2 in 130nm technology.

10 years from now in 65 or 45nm [when it becomes common for the fabs]
this will be moot.

But you missed the point. Custom RISC processors will likely be
available to the public [e.g. LGPL or similar license] and it won't
make sense to use the free DW51 when a free RISC core is available that
lets you do so much more.

> > Point is in the next decade things will only get better. Making the
> > "desire" to use lower efficiency 8-bit micros even lower and lower.
>
> The desire to pay as little as possible for any piece of functionality
> is as old as history and will always be present.

They also compromise. Why use P-256 it's slow on my 16-bit MCU...
let's use P-160 or lower! it'll be fast enough!

Tom
Received on Thu Jan 19 03:44:29 2006