Abstract

The SHA-256 algorithm is one of the most widely used secure hashing algorithms. The SHA-256 algorithm is implemented in hardware, and in order to ensure the integrity and authenticity of the encrypted data, this requires higher throughput and efficiency. In this paper, we propose a high-performance hardware architecture for the SHA-256 hash algorithm, which further optimizes the rearranged round computation by decomposing the critical path into two addition stages and replacing the multi-operator adder in the critical path of the algorithmic round-computing circuit with a 4-2 compressor. Based on the experimental results on field-programmable gate arrays, the obtained result shows a significant improvement in the performance of the proposed SHA-256 algorithm when compared with various existing architectures. Its maximum clock frequency is 366 MHz, with a throughput of 1990 Mbps and an improved efficiency of 1.86 Mbps per slice.

This article is published and distributed under the terms of the Oxford University Press, Standard Journals Publication Model (https://dbpia.nl.go.kr/pages/standard-publication-reuse-rights)
You do not currently have access to this article.