Symmetric Encryption

Xiphera’s portfolio of symmetric encryption algorithms, including widely used and established AES IP cores, provides uncompromised data encryption.

Symmetric encryption is a cryptographic technique where the same secret key is used for both the encryption (encoding) and decryption (decoding) of data i.e., create ciphertext from plaintext. Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is the most widely used symmetric encryption approach and is primarily used for protecting data communication and storage.

Xiphera offers a wide range of symmetric encryption algorithms, including versions of the well-established AES (AES-GCM, AES-CTR, AES-XTS, and Versatile AES), ChaCha20-Poly1305 for Authenticated Encryption with Associated Data (AEAD) scheme, as well as a lightweight stream cipher Ascon. Our offering is carefully designed and implemented while keeping in mind the needs of our customers. The symmetric encryption IP cores are optimised for performance and resource usage, while achieving their intended functionality. Most importantly, all our symmetric encryption implementations are not tied to any specific device or platform which means that they can support all FPGA and ASIC technologies available in the market.

Symmetric encryption offers widely used protection

One important concept in symmetric encryption is of a secret key. This secret key is typically a string of bits, often in binary format, and it’s kept confidential between the sender and receiver.

To send a secret message, we take plaintext (the original message) and apply an encryption algorithm. This algorithm combines the plaintext and the secret key to produce ciphertext (the encrypted message).
The ciphertext looks like gibberish to anyone who doesn’t have the secret key.
At the receiving end, the recipient uses the same secret key and a decryption algorithm. This process takes the ciphertext and transforms it back into the original plaintext. Only the holder of the secret key can do this, ensuring the message’s confidentiality.

Symmetric encryption is generally fast because it involves straightforward mathematical operations. When the secret key is kept secure, symmetric encryption is highly secure, as breaking the encryption usually requires exhaustive search (brute force) or other, more advanced, attacks. One main challenge in symmetric encryption is securely sharing the secret key between the sender and receiver. Xiphera’s team of cryptographic experts will help your designers in creating a solution that fits your security needs today and in the future.

Symmetric encryption is a widely used cryptographic technique with numerous practical use cases across various domains. Some of the most common use cases for symmetric encryption are:

Secure Data Communication: Symmetric encryption is a fundamental technique used to ensure secure data communication. It involves using the same key for both encrypting and decrypting data, making it faster and more efficient in cases which involve bulk data transfer.
Data Protection in Storage: Symmetric encryption is used to protect sensitive data stored on computer hard drives, mobile devices, and servers.
IoT Device Security: Internet of Things (IoT) devices may use symmetric encryption to secure data transmitted between devices and central servers. This safeguards the data generated by IoT devices, such as smart home sensors or medical devices.
Voice and Video Encryption: Real-time communication applications, such as voice and video conferencing tools, use symmetric encryption to protect the confidentiality of conversations. This is essential for ensuring privacy during sensitive discussions.