nts_noncegen

Nonce generator for the NTS engine.

Status

Completed. Verified and implemented in target FPGA. Ready for integration.

Introduction

The nonce generator provides the NTS engine with 64-bit data words used as nonce for cookies.

The gnerator is based on the SipHash PRF processing random messages structured similar to CMAC_KDF in CTR mode.

The host writes 256 bit random context and 128 bit random key. The context is combined with a 32 bit counter (which is initialized by the 32 LSB of the context) to generate 256 bit messages. SiphHash is then used to create a 64 bit MAC for the message using the key.

Client API protocol

The client is expected to look at ready. If ready is set the core is prepared to generate new nonces and will accept a get_nonce command signal. When a nonce has been generated, both ready and nonce_valid will be set.

If the core has been disabled and then enabled via the API, ready will be set, but nonce_valid will be cleared. This indicates that the core is ready to accept a new get_nonce command, but that no nonce has been generated.

The client sequence:

1. Wait for ready to be set.
2. Assert get_nonce.
3. Wait for ready to be set again.
4. If ready and nonce_valid is set nonce contains a valid nonce.
5. If ready is set, but not nonce_valid, no valid nonce is available. Go to step 2.

Implementation results

Device: Virtex-7 (xc7vx690tffg1761-2) Regs: 982 LUTs: 1240 Fmax: 222 MHz