Low complexity implementation of modified McEliece algorithms

Summary form only given. Over the past few years a software approach to the implementation of communications systems has become increasingly popular. The use of special purpose, high speed microprocessors designed for digital signal processing (DSP) applications is attracting much interest. These DSP microprocessors are fast enough to allow many components of a communications system to be realised purely in software. Instead of using a microprocessor to control dedicated hardware, it is becoming possible to perform some of the functions of that hardware directly in the processor itself. The speed of these DSP processors is continually improving as newer, more powerful devices becomes available, however there are still many algorithms that cannot be realised in real time. It is therefore necessary to find alternative algorithms which have low implementation complexity, to allow advanced systems to be realised in software. This paper describes an investigation into the feasibility of implementing a public key cryptosystem using a high-speed DSP microprocessor connected to a PC-compatible host microcomputer