PQSecure Collaborates with George Mason University on NIST Lightweight Cryptography Hardware Research
February 6, 2026 -- PQSecure Technologies collaborated with George Mason University (GMU) on a landmark peer-reviewed research publication titled “Lightweight Champions of the World: Side-Channel Resistant Open Hardware for Finalists in the NIST Lightweight Cryptography Standardization Process,” published in ACM Transactions on Embedded Computing Systems.
This work represents the first coordinated, large-scale effort to design, implement, and evaluate side-channel-resistant open hardware for finalists in the NIST Lightweight Cryptography (LWC) standardization process. The collaboration combined GMU’s leadership in cryptographic hardware benchmarking with PQSecure’s expertise in side-channel-resilient implementations, evaluation platforms, and practical hardware security analysis
The study evaluated protected hardware implementations of nine out of ten NIST LWC finalists, confirming Ascon as the selected standard while highlighting strong alternatives such as Xoodyak, TinyJAMBU, and ISAP. The results provide critical insights for deploying lightweight cryptography securely in embedded, IoT, automotive, aerospace, and defense systems.
Related Semiconductor IP
- Unified Hardware IP for Post-Quantum Cryptography based on Kyber and Dilithium
- RSA/ECC Public Key Accelerator Farm with TRNG and AHB
- Performance P570 Gen 3
- Agile PQC Public Key Accelerator
- RSA/ECC Public Key Accelerators with TRNG and AHB
Related News
- NIST Selects "Lightweight Cryptography" Algorithms to Protect Small Devices
- NIST Finalizes ‘Lightweight Cryptography’ Standard to Protect Small Devices
- Microsemi Achieves NIST Certification on EnforcIT Cryptography IP Cores for FPGA and ASIC Designs
- The Secure Content Storage Association (SCSA) Selects Rambus Cryptography Research To Help Secure Next-Generation Digital Video Content
Latest News
- Arteris Deployed by Speedata for Data Center Compute
- Siemens to acquire Defacto Technologies to complement its EDA portfolio with automated SoC design creation
- Mach42 Completes £7M Funding Round, Led by IP Group With Investment From BGF and Foresight Group
- ELECTRA IC Unveils Comprehensive IP Core Suite for Next-Generation Post-Quantum Cryptography
- CAST Enhances Serial Memory Controller IP with Encryption, Low-Power, and ASIL-Ready Options