Securing Blockchain Networks with FPGA-Based AES and ECC Techniques

The rapid adoption of blockchain technology across various industries has raised the need for efficient and secure cryptographic operations. This project focuses on implementing the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) on a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) using Xilinx Vivado. By utilizing hardware-based acceleration, we aim to improve the security and performance of blockchain transactions. Existing chain implementations mainly utilize software-based cryptographic operations which are normally very slow and are not energy efficient. This work fills in this gap by investigating a hardware-accelerated approach utilizing FPGAs. The FPGA implementation and comparison of the AES 128-bit, 256-bit, and ECC secp256k1 algorithms, targeting high throughput, low latency, and reduced power consumption. We demonstrate the integration of these cryptographic algorithms within a blockchain framework, highlighting the potential of FPGA-based solutions in creating scalable and secure blockchain systems. he presented system has shown a considerable enhancement in terms of speed, power, and area in comparison with the existing methods. The value-add of this work is the provision of a unified FPGA-based architecture for the cryptographic enhancement of blockchain transactions. he presented system has shown a considerable enhancement in terms of speed, power, and area in comparison with the existing methods. The value-add of this work is the provision of a unified FPGA-based architecture for the cryptographic enhancement of blockchain transactions. Key performance indicators such as processing speed, area efficiency, and power consumption are evaluated to illustrate the benefits of hardware acceleration in blockchain cryptography.