Abstract
This paper describes the experiments which have been conducted to determine the optimal implementation concept for AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) data encryption in a ZigBee network [1,2]. Two concepts have been considered. The first one is a AES128-CBC hardware co-processor embedded on a Spartan 3A FPGA. The second configuration implements the same cryptographic algorithm on the processor which controls the ZigBee nodes. The ZigBee modules in the network contain an 8-bit microcontroller which takes care of the ZigBee protocol stack –and the encryption calculations in the second case. Both approaches are examined and compared. In this paper we show that –in general– a software implementation is feasible in a ZigBee network, though a low-power hardware cryptographic co-processor could prove to be useful in some cases.
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© 2010 ICST Institute for Computer Science, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering
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Ottoy, G., Hamelinckx, T., Preneel, B., De Strycker, L., Goemaere, JP. (2010). AES Data Encryption in a ZigBee Network: Software or Hardware?. In: Schmidt, A.U., Russello, G., Lioy, A., Prasad, N.R., Lian, S. (eds) Security and Privacy in Mobile Information and Communication Systems. MobiSec 2010. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, vol 47. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-17502-2_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-17502-2_14
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