Real-time FPGA implementation of concatenated AES and IDEA cryptography system

Abstract

The data encryption is one of the most critical issues in the communication system design. Nowadays, many encryption algorithms are being updated to keep pace with the remarkable progress in the communication field. The advanced encryption standard (AES) is a common algorithm that has proved its efficacy. The main drawback of AES is that it uses too simple algebraic structures, since every block is always encrypted in the same way that makes the hacking process possible if the hacker captures the key and the uses S-Box in the input stage. This especially applies to the unwired communication systems where chances of hacking exceed those found in the wired systems. The paper proposes a security enhancement method that is based on utilizing concatenated AES and international data encryption algorithm (IDEA) algorithms. Upon applying the proposed algorithm, the hacking process becomes a great challenge. The paper incorporates the real-time FPGA implementation of the proposed algorithm in the encryption and the decryption stages. Besides, the paper presents a clear analysis of the system’s performance.