There is especially a challenging problem for secure communications in the last few years among the resource-poor environments like IoT devices and embedded systems which had driven the research to lightweight cryptography algorithms, performing wonderfully on the constraints of computations, memory, as well as also energy resources. It involves the implementation along with performance analysis of probably the most impressive lightweight block ciphers, such as SIMON, SPECK, and HIGHT. It also encompasses ECC as a safe alternative substitute to the traditional ones that contain AES. SIMON and SPECK are new-generation lightweight block ciphers developed by NSA for hardware efficiency so that performance is maximized at low speeds with very high levels of security. Also included are the performance characteristics of HIGHT, which is a specially designed block cipher for environments with very low resources. ECC is presented as the asymmetric encryption algorithm that provides at least some level of security yet its key sizes are dramatically smaller than the counterparts making it well applicable within these environments. In addition, an overall comparison in the aspect of the computational cost, usage of the memory, and the security level among the algorithms is made.
Introduction
Mobile cloud computing, driven by the Internet of Things (IoT), has led to the development of resource-constrained devices with limited processing power, memory, and energy consumption. Traditional cryptographic algorithms struggle in such environments, prompting the need for lightweight cryptographic solutions. Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) is a popular option due to its strong security with smaller key sizes, but it can still be computationally expensive for highly constrained devices. As a result, lightweight cryptographic algorithms like SIMON, SPECK, PRESENT, and HIGHT have emerged, offering efficient encryption with low memory and power usage, suitable for IoT devices, mobile platforms, and embedded systems.
The ECC is based on elliptic curves and provides strong encryption with smaller key sizes. Its computational efficiency and security make it widely used in secure communications like TLS/SSL. However, in ultra-constrained environments, ECC can still be too expensive, prompting the adoption of more lightweight options.
SIMON is a lightweight block cipher optimized for hardware, utilizing simple operations like XOR, bitwise AND, and cyclic shifts, and is well-suited for IoT devices.
SPECK is another block cipher optimized for software efficiency, using an ARX structure (Addition, Rotation, XOR) for fast encryption, particularly useful for low-power devices.
PRESENT is a block cipher based on a substitution-permutation network (SPN) with a small hardware footprint and is effective against various cryptanalytic attacks, making it suitable for IoT and RFID applications.
HIGHT is designed for low-power environments, particularly embedded systems, with a Feistel-like structure and 32 rounds of encryption, offering security while using minimal resources.
A literature review highlights that lightweight algorithms like SIMON, SPECK, PRESENT, and HIGHT are faster than ECC in terms of processing speed, memory usage, and energy efficiency, making them ideal for IoT applications. However, ECC is still preferred for higher security levels despite its resource demands.
The methodology involves comparing ECC and lightweight cryptographic algorithms through simulations in resource-constrained environments such as mobile cloud platforms and IoT ecosystems. Performance metrics like encryption time, memory usage, energy consumption, and key generation time are assessed, while security vulnerabilities are analyzed through cryptographic attack tests. The study also evaluates hybrid approaches that combine ECC and lightweight algorithms to balance security and efficiency.
The final comparison presents the strengths and weaknesses of each algorithm, examining their suitability for various use cases such as IoT networks, mobile cloud storage, and embedded systems authentication. Ultimately, the study aims to identify the most effective cryptographic solutions for modern data security challenges in mobile and IoT environments.
Conclusion
It turns out to be one of the more robust crypto solutions having its best security profile with somewhat reduced sizes keys. Computational overhead makes systems used in resource-restricted devices from IoT and mobile cloud use that quite becomes a challenge. In the said scenario, lightweight encryption algorithms such as SIMON, SPECK, PRESENT, and HIGHT are helpful for easy deciphering and encryption with minimized resources.
This research study will therefore focus on the merits and demerits of ECC as well as lightweight algorithms but will do so under the need for tailored cryptographic solutions. As much as ECC stands practically destined to be the answer from high-security applications in areas of efficiency and resource-saving requirement, lightweight algorithms can themselves become very practical in their application as an alternative. Then, the hybrid approach would be quite efficient in most applications by taking the virtues of ECC along with the efficiencies of lightweight algorithms.
References
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