A Latency-Optimized Hash-Based Digital Signature Accelerator For The Tactile Internet

Tactile Internet as evolution of the Internet of Things will enable real-time interactive applications in industry and society. It requires low latency and security. Security comprises encryption and data authentication. Digital signatures enable the latter. With the rise of quantum computers, most currently employed digital signature schemes will become unsecure. One promising post-quantum secure algorithm is the eXtended Merkle Signature Scheme (XMSS). It is computationally expensive and thus contradicts low latency requirements. This paper proposes a latency-optimized accelerator for hash-based digital signature processing for the XMSS algorithm. Our architecture improves the latency of signing and verification into the sub-millisecond range.