RSA Algorithms and VIA Padlock Montgomery Multiplier

RSA Algorithms and VIA Padlock Montgomery Multiplier

VIA processors featuring the ‘Esther' core include a powerful Montgomery Multiplier, supporting key sizes up to 32K in length, used to accelerate the computational throughput of public key cryptography, such as RSA algorithms.

Used the by U.S. Government, RSA Algorithms are an encryption mechanism based on the asymmetric encryption method, or public key encryption. Public key encryption allows transmission of secure information across unsecured mediums.

Encryption under this system requires that the sender and receiver both have two keys; a private key and a public key. To initiate secure communication under a RSA system the sender asks for the receiver's public key. This key can either be attained by a direct request to the receiver or by looking up a central database of keys. Using the receiver's public key the sender encrypts the information to be sent across the unsecured medium.

When the receiver gets the communiqué they use their private key to decrypt the secured information.

To send information back to the original sender the receiver uses the sender's public key to encrypt the response.

This public key-private key process provides ultra-secure one-to-one communication across unsecured mediums.

VIA's PadLock Montgomery Multiplier expedites this process while at the same time reducing significantly the processor load during the key construction and data encryption by eliminating the processor taxing exercise of the large number division required to perform this type of encryption.