
Silicon Art

RoCK-Di Crypto Processor
Overview
RoCK-Di is a cutting-edge, post-quantum crypto processor designed to meet the evolving demands of secure communication and data integrity in the quantum era. Engineered to support advanced cryptographic algorithms like ML-KEM (CRYSTALS-Kyber), ML-DSA (CRYSTALS-Dilithium), and SHA-3, RoCK-Di offers a robust solution for key encapsulation and digital signatures. Its flexible architecture, powered by an enhanced instruction set (ISA), delivers unparalleled security and performance, making it an essential component for future-proof systems in high-security environments.
Features
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Compliant with FIPS-203 Module-Lattice-Based Key-Encapsulation Mechanism Standard (ML-KEM).
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Compliant with FIPS-204 Module-Lattice-Based Digital Signature Standard (ML-DSA).
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SHA3 (Supports all SHAKE and SHA3 flavors).
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NIST Compliant RNG.
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Flexible ISA for seamless integration to SoC.
Benefits
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Quantum-Resistant Security
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Safeguards data against emerging quantum threats supporting CRYSTAL-Kyber and CRYSTAL-Dilithium.
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Enhanced System Performance
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Optimized instruction set architecture (ISA) delivers faster processing speeds and improved efficiency.
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Flexible Integration
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Easily integrates into a wide range of systems.
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Future-Proof Technology
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Built to withstand the challenges of tomorrow’s technology landscape.
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Low Power Consumption
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Energy-efficient design suitable for high-performance and resource-constrained environments.
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Technical Specifications

RoCK-Di Architecture
The RoCK-Di co-processor is built on a Harvard Architecture, featuring distinct memory interfaces for data and program instructions. This design allows for parallel processing and efficient execution of cryptographic operations.
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The architecture is equipped with two primary datapaths, enabling concurrent execution of the FIPS 203 (ML-KEM) and FIPS 204 (ML-DSA) standards. This parallelism significantly enhances performance, particularly in applications requiring simultaneous key exchange and digital signature operations. In addition to the dual datapaths, the RoCK-Di co-processor includes a dedicated, standalone execution unit for FIPS 202 (SHA), a widely utilized hashing function. Furthermore, the processor is designed to secure sensitive data inside memory (i.e. secret key) by restricting user access to certain memory locations. This ensures optimized performance, robust security, and seamless integration into various security protocols.
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RoCK-Di is designed using flexible architecture, powered by an enhanced application-specific instruction set architecture (ISA), and delivers unparalleled security and performance, making it an essential component for future-proof systems in high-security environments. It offers exceptional flexibility, providing users with a range of options from high-level macro instructions to detailed individual instructions. This versatility allows for precise control over cryptographic operations. Users can leverage high-level macro instructions for comprehensive tasks such as key generation, ensuring alignment with FIPS standards, or opt for granular control by crafting each cryptographic operation through a series of step-by-step instructions tailored to specific application requirements.
RoCK-Di Performance
The clock cycles required for FIPS 203 (ML-KEM) and FIPS 204 (ML-DSA) operations are detailed in the accompanying table. These estimates are based on average measurements, average message length of 5000 bytes, factoring in rejection sampling execution cycles and assuming the absence of loops within the ML-DSA processes. Due to variable latency—particularly from the uniform rejection function and potential loop structures—these values are non-deterministic and represent typical performance rather than absolute figures.
