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We look at design decisions and compare Tiny and Fast using implementation and performance results.
KiviPQC-DSA
Post-Quantum Digital Signature IP Core
Two architectures for different design goals
Choose ML-DSA Tiny for minimum FPGA resource utilization or ML-DSA Fast for high-performance signature generation and verification.
Cost-efficient licensing model
Low license fees based on one-time fee and free evaluation licenses make IP cores accessible even for projects with limited budgets.
Fast availability and direct support
Evaluation packages and documentation are available via download, with rapid responsive web support to keep your project moving.
Easy integration
AXI4-Lite interface, platform-agnostic C source code HAL, API and software driver and clear documentation enable fast integration into hardware–software co-design flows.
European technology
Developed in Germany, with predictable availability giving design teams transparency, control, and long-term planning security.
Experienced IP core providers
KiviCore’s employees bring many years of experience in IP core design and licensing of IP cores.
KiviPQC-DSA overview
The KiviPQC-DSA is an IP core implementing the ML-DSA (Module-Lattice-based Digital Signature Algorithm) a post-quantum cryptographic standard defined by NIST FIPS 204. Designed to withstand both classical and quantum computer attacks, ML-DSA ensures the authenticity and integrity of signed data far into the future.
Supporting all ML-DSA parameter sets, the KiviPQC-DSA enables:
- Generate private/public key pair to create signatures and verify signed data
- Generate digital signatures to verify data integrity and detect any unauthorized modifications of signed data
- Ensure authenticity by proving that a digital signature was created by the stated signer (non-repudiation)
The IP core offers dedicated hardware acceleration for the most computationally intensive operations, achieving high throughput and low latency while maintaining a compact logic footprint.
The KiviPQC-DSA IP Core delivers complete protection against time-based side-channel attacks (SCA). The core integrates all ML-DSA functions and comes ready for seamless deployment. It includes an AMBA® hardware interface for straightforward system integration and a generic software API for flexible control from the host processor using bare-metal, RTOS or Linux.
Whether securing firmware updates, authenticating communication, or protecting critical infrastructure, the KiviPQC-DSA offers future-proof signature security for FPGA designs.
Product variants
| Variant | Description |
| KiviPQC-DSA-Tiny |
Optimized for minimum FPGA resource utilization. Its compact, sequential and CPU-assisted architecture is ideal for resource- and power-constrained systems. |
| KiviPQC-DSA-Fast |
Optimized for high-performance signing and verification. Its RTL architecture provides significantly higher performance while maintaining efficient FPGA resource utilization. |
| Option Verify only |
The IP core for verification of digital signatures only. This can be used for devices which only need to verify signed data as utilized for secure boot, secure update, data and message authentication, access control and licensing, verification of signed control commands or signed configuration or policy updates. |
Key features
- Platform agnostic design for any FPGA and ASIC
- NIST FIPS 204 compliant
- Supports ML-DSA 44/65/87 parameter sets
- Supports ML-DSA.KeyGen, ML-DSA.Sign, ML-DSA.Verify functions
- Supports pre-hash ML-DSA functions HashML-DSA.Sign and HashML-DSA.Verify
- Supports hedged and deterministic signing
- Supports context string
- Self-contained engine with a minimal attack surface
- Hardware offloading and acceleration for ML-DSA operations
- Protection against timing-based side channel attacks
Easy integration
- AMBA® AXI4 lite Interface
- Platform agnostic C source code HAL, API and software driver
- Linux, RTOS, bare-metal support
- Software examples included
- Software user guide
- Integration examples
- Comprehensive documentation
Applications
- Software and firmware validation
- Data and message authentication
- Access control & licensing
- Digital content and media
- Configuration or policy validation
- Control command validation
- Critical infrastructures
Interested in KiviPQC-DSA IP Core?
Get pricing based on your project and licensing requirements.
Licensing
Licensing & Deliverables
| License type | Purpose | Scope | Fee | Deliverables |
| Product License | Manufacture of products intended for commercial distribution. | Valid for single-instance implementation/synthesis into one device (e.g., one type of SoC, or FPGA) for a specific project or product definition. Multiple instantiations refer to the physical realization of one IP core multiple times in one device. | One-time fee |
|
| Evaluation License | Usability and evaluation for upcoming design | Valid for single-instance implementation/synthesis into one device (SoC, or FPGA) for a specific upcoming design project. | Free, no license fee |
|
Support and Maintenance
-
Maintenance and updates of IP core included
- Rapid bug fix cycles
- Documentation and integration examples included
- Web based support with response times of 8 hours (Mo to Fri)
FPGA implementation results
Altera implementation results
| KiviPQC-DSA-Tiny | KiviPQC-DSA-Fast | |||
|
Device
|
ALM |
Frequency (MHz) |
ALM |
Frequency (MHz) |
|
Stratix 10 |
3059 |
154.7 |
10537 | 139.2 |
|
Agilex 7 |
2881 |
215.6 |
11295 | 213.3 |
|
Arria 10 |
2652 |
192.8 |
10437 | 192.3 |
|
Cyclone 10 GX |
2639 |
192.0 |
10440 | 185.9 |
AMD (Xilinx) implementation results
| KiviPQC-DSA-Tiny | KiviPQC-DSA-Fast | |||
|
Device
|
LUTs |
Frequency (MHz) |
LUTs |
Frequency (MHz) |
|
Spartan 7 |
3725 | 84.0 | 12174 | 75.4 |
|
Kintex 7 |
3755 | 128.6 | 12184 | 127.1 |
|
Zynq US+ MPSoC |
3666 | 195.4 | 12165 | 194.0 |
|
Versal AI Cores Series |
5456 | 187.1 | 14595 | 208.3 |
Microchip implementation results
| KiviPQC-DSA-Tiny | KiviPQC-DSA-Fast | |||
|
Device
|
LUT4 |
Frequency (MHz) |
LUT4 |
Frequency (MHz) |
| PolarFire SoC | 5999 | 65.0 | 19202 | 65.3 |
| PolarFire | 5999 | 65.0 | 19202 | 65.3 |
| Igloo2 | 5958 | 50.2 | 18449 | 49.1 |
| RTG4 | 7590 | 43.7 | 20166 | 41.5 |
| SmartFusion 2 | 5958 | 50.2 | 18449 | 49.1 |
Efinix implementation results
| KiviPQC-DSA-Tiny | KiviPQC-DSA-Fast | |||
|
Device
|
XLR |
Frequency (MHz) |
XLR |
Frequency (MHz) |
|
Titanium |
6291 | 148.6 | 16694 | 143.7 |
Performance
Digital signature operations
|
KiviPQC-DSA-Fast |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Frequency |
Operation |
ML-DSA-44 (op/s) |
ML-DSA-65 (op/s) |
ML-DSA-87 (op/s) |
|
@50 MHz |
Key Generation |
1350 |
895 |
590 |
|
Signing (average) |
160 |
98 |
91 |
|
|
Verifying |
1065 |
725 |
490 |
|
|
@100 MHz |
Key Generation |
2700 |
1790 |
1180 |
|
Signing (average) |
320 |
196 |
182 |
|
|
Verifying |
2130 |
1450 |
980 |
|
|
@200 MHz |
Key Generation |
5400 |
3580 |
2360 |
|
Signing (average) |
640 |
392 |
364 |
|
|
Verifying |
4260 |
2900 |
1960 |
|
|
@300 MHz |
Key Generation |
8100 |
5370 |
3540 |
|
Signing (average) |
960 |
588 |
546 |
|
|
Verifying |
6390 |
4350 |
2940 |
|
Technical documentation & evaluation package
Register for the Evaluation Portal to access evaluation packages, technical documentation and integration resources.