Can the Serpent Cipher fit in the ICE40 FPGA?


Current Table of Contents:


The question of whether the Serpent cipher could fit in a ICE40 FPGA was posed recently, and my first thought was: why not bake what appears to be the heaviest moving part, and see how many gates it requires? Then it will be possible to estimate whether the entire thing is worth baking. (I have very little interest in using again any FPGA other than ICE40, unless another reversing breakthrough, concerning a larger chip, is made public.)

And so I took the forward S-box of Serpent and came up with the following:

module sbox_forward(clk, fire, box_n,
                    a, b, c, d,
                    w, x, y, z);
   // clock
   input wire clk;
 
   // trigger
   input wire fire;
 
   // number of sbox
   input [3:0] box_n;
 
   // inputs
   input [31:0] a;
   input [31:0] b;
   input [31:0] c;
   input [31:0] d;
 
   // outputs
   output reg [31:0] w = 0;
   output reg [31:0] x = 0;
   output reg [31:0] y = 0;
   output reg [31:0] z = 0;
 
   always @(posedge clk)
     if (fire)
       begin
          begin
             case (box_n)
               /////////////////////////////////
    	       4'd0:
                 begin
                    w < = ( a  & ~b & ~c &  d) |
                          (~a &        c &  d) |
                          (~a &       ~c & ~d) |
                          (       b &      ~d);
 
                    x <= ( a &   b & ~c &  d)  |
                         ( a &        c & ~d)  |
                         (~a &  ~b)            |
                         (~a &       ~c & ~d);
 
                    y <= ((~b | c) & d)       ^
                         ((a ^ b) & (b | c));
 
                    z <= b ^ c ^ (a | d);
                 end
               /////////////////////////////////
    	       4'd1:
                 begin
                    w <= ( a &  b & ~c & ~d) |
                         ( a & ~b      &  d) |
                         (~a &  b &  c)      |
                         (~a & ~b & ~c)      |
                         (~a & ~b      & ~d);
 
                    x <= ( a &  b      & ~d) |
                         ( a & ~b & ~c &  d) |
                         (~a &  b      &  d) |
                         (~a &       c &  d) |
                         (~a &      ~c & ~d);
 
                    y <= c ^ d ^ (a | ~b);
 
                    z <= ( a &  b &  c & ~d) |
                         ( a & ~b &       d) |
                         (~a & ~b &      ~d) |
                         (      b & ~c &  d) |
                         (     ~b & ~c & ~d);
                 end
               /////////////////////////////////
    	       4'd2:
                 begin
                    w <= a ^ b ^ d ^ (a | c);
 
                    x <= ( a & ~b & ~c & ~d) |
                         ( a &       c &  d) |
                         (~a &  b & ~c)      |
                         (~a &       c & ~d) |
                         (      b &  c & ~d);
 
                    y <= ( a & ~b &      ~d) |
                         ( a &       c & ~d) |
                         (~a &  b & ~c)      |
                         (~a &  b &       d) |
                         (~a &      ~c &  d) |
                         (      b & ~c &  d);
 
                    z <= ( a &  b &      ~d) |
                         ( a & ~b &  c)      |
                         (~a & ~b & ~c)      |
                         (~a &      ~c &  d) |
                         (      b &  c & ~d);
                 end
               /////////////////////////////////
    	       4'd3:
                 begin
                    w <= ( a & ~b)           | 
                         ( a &       c & ~d) |
                         (~a &  b &  c &  d) |
                         (~a &  b & ~c & ~d) |
                         (     ~b & ~c &  d);
 
                    x <= ( a &  b &  c)      |
                         ( a & ~b & ~c & ~d) |
                         (~a &  b & ~c)      |
                         (      b &  c & ~d) |
                         (~b &       c &  d);
 
                    y <= ( a &  b &       d) |
                         ( a & ~b & ~c & ~d) |
                         ( a &       c &  d) |
                         (~a &  b &  c)      |
                         (~a & ~b & ~c &  d) |
                         (~a &       c & ~d);
 
                    z <= ( a &  b &  c &  d) |
                         ( a & ~b &      ~d) |
                         (~a & ~b &       d) |
                         (      b & ~c & ~d) |
                         (     ~b &  c & ~d);
                 end
               /////////////////////////////////
    	       4'd4:
                 begin
                    w <= ( a & ~b & ~c)      | 
                         ( a &      ~c & ~d) | 
                         (~a &  b &  c)      |
                         (~a &       c &  d) | 
                         (      b &  c &  d) | 
                         (     ~b & ~c & ~d);
 
                    x <= ( a &  b & ~c)      |
                         ( a & ~b &  c &  d) |
                         ( a &      ~c & ~d) |
                         (~a &  b &  c)      |
                         (~a & ~b & ~c &  d) |
                         (      b &  c & ~d);
 
                    y <= ( a &  b &  c)      |
                         ( a & ~b & ~c)      |
                         ( a & ~b &       d) |
                         (~a &  b &       d) |
                         (~a & ~b &  c & ~d);
 
                    z <= a ^ (d & (a | b)) ^ (b | c);
                 end
               /////////////////////////////////
    	       4'd5:
                 begin
                    w <= ( a & ~b & ~c)      |
                         ( a &      ~c & ~d) |
                         (~a &  b &  c)      |
                         (~a &       c &  d) |
                         (      b &  c &  d) |
                         (~b &      ~c & ~d);
 
                    x <= ( a & ~b &  c)      |
                         ( a & ~b &       d) |
                         (~a &  b &       d) |
                         (~a &      ~c & ~d) |
                         (      b & ~c & ~d);
 
                    y <= ( a &  b &  c & ~d) |
                         (~a &  b &       d) |
                         (~a & ~b &  c)      |
                         (     ~b &  c &  d) |
                         (     ~b & ~c & ~d);
 
                    z <= ( a &  b & ~c)      |
                         ( a &       c & ~d) |
                         (~a & ~b &  c &  d) |
                         (~a & ~b & ~c & ~d) |
                         (      b &  c & ~d) |
                         (      b & ~c &  d);
                 end
               /////////////////////////////////
    	       4'd6:
                 begin
                    w <= ( a &  b &      ~d) |
                         ( a &      ~c &  d) |
                         (~a & ~b & ~c & ~d) |
                         (      b & ~c &  d) |
                         (     ~b &  c &  d);
 
                    x <= ~(b ^ c ^ (a & d));
 
                    y <= ( a &  b & ~c)      |
                         ( a & ~b &  c & ~d) |
                         (~a &  b &      ~d) |
                         (~a & ~b & ~c)      |
                         (~a & ~b &       d);
 
                    z <= ( a &  b &  c & ~d) |
                         ( a &      ~c &  d) |
                         (~a &  b & ~c & ~d) |
                         (~a & ~b &  c)      |
                         (~a &       c &  d) |
                         (     ~b & ~c &  d);
                 end
               /////////////////////////////////
    	       4'd7:
                 begin
                    w <= ( a &  b &  c & ~d) |
                         (~a & ~b & ~c)      |
                         (~a &       c &  d) |
                         (~a &      ~c & ~d) |
                         (     ~b &  c &  d) |
                         (     ~b & ~c & ~d);
 
                    x <= ( a &  b &  c)      |
                         ( a &  b &       d) |
                         ( a &       c &  d) |
                         (~a &  b &      ~d) |
                         (~a & ~b & ~c &  d) |
                         (~a &       c & ~d);
 
                    y <= ( a & ~b & ~c)      |
                         (~a &  b & ~c)      |
                         (~a & ~b &  c & ~d) |
                         (~a &      ~c &  d) |
                         (      b &  c &  d);
 
                    z <= c ^ (a & ~d) ^ (b | (a & c));
                 end
               /////////////////////////////////
             endcase // case (box_n)
          end
       end
endmodule

And a simple "smoke test":

`timescale 1ns/100ps
 
`include "sbox.v"
 
 
module serpent_sbox_tester;
   reg clk = 0;
 
   // firing signal
   reg f = 0;
 
   // box #
   reg [3:0] box_n = 0;
 
   // inputs
   reg [31:0] a = 0;
   reg [31:0] b = 0;
   reg [31:0] c = 0;
   reg [31:0] d = 0;
 
   // outputs
   wire [31:0] w;
   wire [31:0] x;
   wire [31:0] y;
   wire [31:0] z;
 
   // serpent 'forward' sbox
   sbox_forward sbf(.clk(clk),
                    .fire(f),
                    .box_n(box_n),
                    .a(a), .b(b), .c(c), .d(d),
                    .w(w), .x(x), .y(y), .z(z));
 
   // clockator
   always
     begin
	clk = 1'b1;
	#1;
	clk = 1'b0;
	#1;
     end
 
   initial
     begin: Init
 
	#0 $display ("Started...\n");
 
        #0 a = 32'hDEADF00D;
        #0 b = 32'hC0DEDBAD;
        #0 c = 32'hCAFEBABE;
        #0 d = 32'hBADCAFED;
 
        // display inputs
        $display ("a = %h  b = %h  c = %h  d = %h", a, b, c, d);
        #1 f = 1;
 
        // sbox 0:
        #1 box_n = 0;
        $display ("box_n = %h", box_n);
        #2;
        $display ("w = %h  x = %h  y = %h  z = %h", w, x, y, z);
 
        // sbox 1:
        #3 box_n = 1;
        $display ("box_n = %h", box_n);
        #4;
        $display ("w = %h  x = %h  y = %h  z = %h", w, x, y, z);
 
        // sbox 2:
        #5 box_n = 2;
        $display ("box_n = %h", box_n);
        #6;
        $display ("w = %h  x = %h  y = %h  z = %h", w, x, y, z);
 
        // sbox 3:
        #7 box_n = 3;
        $display ("box_n = %h", box_n);
        #8;
        $display ("w = %h  x = %h  y = %h  z = %h", w, x, y, z);
 
        // sbox 4:
        #9 box_n = 4;
        $display ("box_n = %h", box_n);
        #10;
        $display ("w = %h  x = %h  y = %h  z = %h", w, x, y, z);
 
        // sbox 5:
        #11 box_n = 5;
        $display ("box_n = %h", box_n);
        #12;
        $display ("w = %h  x = %h  y = %h  z = %h", w, x, y, z);
 
        // sbox 6:
        #13 box_n = 6;
        $display ("box_n = %h", box_n);
        #14;
        $display ("w = %h  x = %h  y = %h  z = %h", w, x, y, z);
 
        // sbox 7:
        #15 box_n = 7;
        $display ("box_n = %h", box_n);
        #16;
        $display ("w = %h  x = %h  y = %h  z = %h", w, x, y, z);
 
        $display ("Finish.\n");
	$finish;
     end // block: Init
 
endmodule
# Project Name
PROJ=small
 
# Simulator testbench
BENCH=tester
 
sim:
	iverilog -v $(BENCH).v -o $(PROJ)sim
make
./smallsim

... produced the following output:

a = deadf00d  b = c0dedbad  c = cafebabe  d = badcafed
box_n = 0
w = 51525aa0  x = 61201453  y = b0ae854c  z = f4dd9efe
box_n = 1
w = 3b526ef2  x = 51505ba0  y = 8f8fe10c  z = 5f013113
box_n = 2
w = 7a507ef2  x = ce8fb11e  y = 64711fe1  z = 6b227540
box_n = 3
w = 7e713ee0  x = ce8fb10c  y = aedfaeff  z = a4adc45e
box_n = 4
w = 95dfcaac  x = 6e537ee1  y = deddbbbe  z = 8e8fa01f
box_n = 5
w = 95dfcaac  x = 1b706ba0  y = 4f513bb2  z = 41225101
box_n = 6
w = 5b007101  x = 6f533ee1  y = 21224441  z = 70501ef3
box_n = 7
w = 6f513ee0  x = ea8eb45f  y = b4dd8ffe  z = 44211113
Finish.

Let's quickly verify, using a section of the ancient C source for Serpent:

    #define u32 uint32_t
 
    #define SBOX0(a, b, c, d, w, x, y, z) \
    { \
    u32 t02, t03, t05, t06, t07, t08, t09; \
    u32 t11, t12, t13, t14, t15, t17, t01; \
    t01 = b   ^ c  ; \
    t02 = a   | d  ; \
    t03 = a   ^ b  ; \
    z   = t02 ^ t01; \
    t05 = c   | z  ; \
    t06 = a   ^ d  ; \
    t07 = b   | c  ; \
    t08 = d   & t05; \
    t09 = t03 & t07; \
    y   = t09 ^ t08; \
    t11 = t09 & y  ; \
    t12 = c   ^ d  ; \
    t13 = t07 ^ t11; \
    t14 = b   & t06; \
    t15 = t06 ^ t13; \
    w   =     ~ t15; \
    t17 = w   ^ t14; \
    x   = t12 ^ t17; \
    }
 
    #define SBOX1(a, b, c, d, w, x, y, z) \
    { \
    u32 t02, t03, t04, t05, t06, t07, t08; \
    u32 t10, t11, t12, t13, t16, t17, t01; \
    t01 = a   | d  ; \
    t02 = c   ^ d  ; \
    t03 =     ~ b  ; \
    t04 = a   ^ c  ; \
    t05 = a   | t03; \
    t06 = d   & t04; \
    t07 = t01 & t02; \
    t08 = b   | t06; \
    y   = t02 ^ t05; \
    t10 = t07 ^ t08; \
    t11 = t01 ^ t10; \
    t12 = y   ^ t11; \
    t13 = b   & d  ; \
    z   =     ~ t10; \
    x   = t13 ^ t12; \
    t16 = t10 | x  ; \
    t17 = t05 & t16; \
    w   = c   ^ t17; \
    }
 
    #define SBOX2(a, b, c, d, w, x, y, z) \
    { \
    u32 t02, t03, t05, t06, t07, t08; \
    u32 t09, t10, t12, t13, t14, t01; \
    t01 = a   | c  ; \
    t02 = a   ^ b  ; \
    t03 = d   ^ t01; \
    w   = t02 ^ t03; \
    t05 = c   ^ w  ; \
    t06 = b   ^ t05; \
    t07 = b   | t05; \
    t08 = t01 & t06; \
    t09 = t03 ^ t07; \
    t10 = t02 | t09; \
    x   = t10 ^ t08; \
    t12 = a   | d  ; \
    t13 = t09 ^ x  ; \
    t14 = b   ^ t13; \
    z   =     ~ t09; \
    y   = t12 ^ t14; \
    }
 
    #define SBOX3(a, b, c, d, w, x, y, z) \
    { \
    u32 t02, t03, t04, t05, t06, t07, t08; \
    u32 t09, t10, t11, t13, t14, t15, t01; \
    t01 = a   ^ c  ; \
    t02 = a   | d  ; \
    t03 = a   & d  ; \
    t04 = t01 & t02; \
    t05 = b   | t03; \
    t06 = a   & b  ; \
    t07 = d   ^ t04; \
    t08 = c   | t06; \
    t09 = b   ^ t07; \
    t10 = d   & t05; \
    t11 = t02 ^ t10; \
    z   = t08 ^ t09; \
    t13 = d   | z  ; \
    t14 = a   | t07; \
    t15 = b   & t13; \
    y   = t08 ^ t11; \
    w   = t14 ^ t15; \
    x   = t05 ^ t04; \
    }
 
    #define SBOX4(a, b, c, d, w, x, y, z) \
    { \
    u32 t02, t03, t04, t05, t06, t08, t09; \
    u32 t10, t11, t12, t13, t14, t15, t16, t01; \
    t01 = a   | b  ; \
    t02 = b   | c  ; \
    t03 = a   ^ t02; \
    t04 = b   ^ d  ; \
    t05 = d   | t03; \
    t06 = d   & t01; \
    z   = t03 ^ t06; \
    t08 = z   & t04; \
    t09 = t04 & t05; \
    t10 = c   ^ t06; \
    t11 = b   & c  ; \
    t12 = t04 ^ t08; \
    t13 = t11 | t03; \
    t14 = t10 ^ t09; \
    t15 = a   & t05; \
    t16 = t11 | t12; \
    y   = t13 ^ t08; \
    x   = t15 ^ t16; \
    w   =     ~ t14; \
    }
 
    #define SBOX5(a, b, c, d, w, x, y, z) \
    { \
    u32 t02, t03, t04, t05, t07, t08, t09; \
    u32 t10, t11, t12, t13, t14, t01; \
    t01 = b   ^ d  ; \
    t02 = b   | d  ; \
    t03 = a   & t01; \
    t04 = c   ^ t02; \
    t05 = t03 ^ t04; \
    w   =     ~ t05; \
    t07 = a   ^ t01; \
    t08 = d   | w  ; \
    t09 = b   | t05; \
    t10 = d   ^ t08; \
    t11 = b   | t07; \
    t12 = t03 | w  ; \
    t13 = t07 | t10; \
    t14 = t01 ^ t11; \
    y   = t09 ^ t13; \
    x   = t07 ^ t08; \
    z   = t12 ^ t14; \
    }
 
    #define SBOX6(a, b, c, d, w, x, y, z) \
    { \
    u32 t02, t03, t04, t05, t07, t08, t09, t10; \
    u32 t11, t12, t13, t15, t17, t18, t01; \
    t01 = a   & d  ; \
    t02 = b   ^ c  ; \
    t03 = a   ^ d  ; \
    t04 = t01 ^ t02; \
    t05 = b   | c  ; \
    x   =     ~ t04; \
    t07 = t03 & t05; \
    t08 = b   & x  ; \
    t09 = a   | c  ; \
    t10 = t07 ^ t08; \
    t11 = b   | d  ; \
    t12 = c   ^ t11; \
    t13 = t09 ^ t10; \
    y   =     ~ t13; \
    t15 = x   & t03; \
    z   = t12 ^ t07; \
    t17 = a   ^ b  ; \
    t18 = y   ^ t15; \
    w   = t17 ^ t18; \
    }
 
    #define SBOX7(a, b, c, d, w, x, y, z) \
    { \
    u32 t02, t03, t04, t05, t06, t08, t09, t10; \
    u32 t11, t13, t14, t15, t16, t17, t01; \
    t01 = a   & c  ; \
    t02 =     ~ d  ; \
    t03 = a   & t02; \
    t04 = b   | t01; \
    t05 = a   & b  ; \
    t06 = c   ^ t04; \
    z   = t03 ^ t06; \
    t08 = c   | z  ; \
    t09 = d   | t05; \
    t10 = a   ^ t08; \
    t11 = t04 & z  ; \
    x   = t09 ^ t10; \
    t13 = b   ^ x  ; \
    t14 = t01 ^ x  ; \
    t15 = c   ^ t05; \
    t16 = t11 | t13; \
    t17 = t02 | t14; \
    w   = t15 ^ t17; \
    y   = a   ^ t16; \
    }
 
    uint32_t a = 0xDEADF00D;
    uint32_t b = 0xC0DEDBAD;
    uint32_t c = 0xCAFEBABE;
    uint32_t d = 0xBADCAFED;
 
    uint32_t w = 0, x = 0, y = 0, z = 0;
 
    void clear() {
    w = 0;
    x = 0;
    y = 0;
    z = 0;
    }
 
    void dump_ins() {
    printf("a = 0x%08x  b = 0x%08x  c = 0x%08x  d = 0x%08x\n", a, b, c, d);
    }
 
    void dump_outs() {
    printf("w = 0x%08x  x = 0x%08x  y = 0x%08x  z = 0x%08x\n", w, x, y, z);
    }
 
 
    void main() {
 
    dump_ins();
 
    printf("SBOX0:\n");
    clear();
    SBOX0(a, b, c, d, w, x, y, z);
    dump_outs();
 
    printf("SBOX1:\n");
    clear();
    SBOX1(a, b, c, d, w, x, y, z);
    dump_outs();
 
    printf("SBOX2:\n");
    clear();
    SBOX2(a, b, c, d, w, x, y, z);
    dump_outs();
 
    printf("SBOX3:\n");
    clear();
    SBOX3(a, b, c, d, w, x, y, z);
    dump_outs();
 
    printf("SBOX4:\n");
    clear();
    SBOX4(a, b, c, d, w, x, y, z);
    dump_outs();
 
    printf("SBOX5:\n");
    clear();
    SBOX5(a, b, c, d, w, x, y, z);
    dump_outs();
 
    printf("SBOX6:\n");
    clear();
    SBOX6(a, b, c, d, w, x, y, z);
    dump_outs();
 
    printf("SBOX7:\n");
    clear();
    SBOX7(a, b, c, d, w, x, y, z);
    dump_outs();
 
    }

The latter spits out:

a = 0xdeadf00d  b = 0xc0dedbad  c = 0xcafebabe  d = 0xbadcafed
SBOX0:
w = 0x51525aa0  x = 0x61201453  y = 0xb0ae854c  z = 0xf4dd9efe
SBOX1:
w = 0x3b526ef2  x = 0x51505ba0  y = 0x8f8fe10c  z = 0x5f013113
SBOX2:
w = 0x7a507ef2  x = 0xce8fb11e  y = 0x64711fe1  z = 0x6b227540
SBOX3:
w = 0x7e713ee0  x = 0xce8fb10c  y = 0xaedfaeff  z = 0xa4adc45e
SBOX4:
w = 0x95dfcaac  x = 0x6e537ee1  y = 0xdeddbbbe  z = 0x8e8fa01f
SBOX5:
w = 0x95dfcaac  x = 0x1b706ba0  y = 0x4f513bb2  z = 0x41225101
SBOX6:
w = 0x5b007101  x = 0x6f533ee1  y = 0x21224441  z = 0x70501ef3
SBOX7:
w = 0x6f513ee0  x = 0xea8eb45f  y = 0xb4dd8ffe  z = 0x44211113

I.e. a matching set, for the particular input.

Not a proof of correctness, by any means, but we do learn that there is no obvious mistake.

The next logical step of the experiment would be to put the forward S-box component into an ICE40 and see precisely how many gates it occupies. Then can multiply this by two (there is also an inverse S-Box, and see whether it makes sense to attempt to produce the rest of the mechanism. The 32kB of block RAM available on the largest ICE40, theoretically suffices for Serpent's key schedule and other required buffers. But does the gate count?

~To be continued!~

This entry was written by Stanislav , posted on Saturday October 27 2018 , filed under Bitcoin, Cold Air, Computation, Cryptography, FPGA, Friends, Hardware, Mathematics, ModestProposal, SerpentCipher, SoftwareSucks . Bookmark the permalink . Post a comment below or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.

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MANDATORY: Please prove that you are human:

101 xor 83 = ?

What is the serial baud rate of the FG device ?


Answer the riddle correctly before clicking "Submit", or comment will NOT appear! Not in moderation queue, NOWHERE!