Page 127 - Cyber Defense eMagazine February 2024

Why Is Hardware More Secure than Software?

The underlying differences between hardware and software when implementing critical
cryptosystems.

By Kimmo Järvinen, Co-founder and CTO, Xiphera

The majority of today’s cryptographic implementations rely on software running on general-purpose
processors. While this method is a practical and justified approach for many applications, software-based
cryptography has inherent weaknesses when it comes to safeguarding of critical systems and
applications.

Cryptography designed directly into hardware, especially on field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or
application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), solves many weaknesses of software-based
cryptography, offering superior security and efficiency compared to software-based security approach.
This article scrutinizes the weaknesses of software-based cryptography and explores the advantages of
the hardware-based alternatives in protecting essential systems, such as industrial control and
automation systems, as well as critical communication infrastructure.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – February 2024 Edition 127
Copyright © 2024, Cyber Defense Magazine. All rights reserved worldwide.