cryptoprocessor
Noun
Meaning
cryptoprocessor (plural cryptoprocessors)
(cryptography) A dedicated computer on a chip or microprocessor that carries out cryptographic operations.
Related terms
Examples
By never revealing the decrypted program instructions, the cryptoprocessor prevents tampering of programs by technicians who may have legitimate access to the sub-system data bus.
A hardware security module can have multiple levels of physical security with a single-chip cryptoprocessor as its most secure component.
The cryptoprocessor does not reveal keys or executable instructions on a bus, except in encrypted form, and zeros keys by attempts at probing or scanning.
The internal design of the cryptoprocessor can be tailored to prevent these attacks.
Unlike cryptographic processors that output decrypted data onto a bus in a secure environment, a secure cryptoprocessor does not output decrypted data or decrypted program instructions in an environment where security cannot always be maintained.