NEC develops low-cost security technology to prevent data eavesdropping

NEC, in collaboration with researchers from Kyoto University and Tohoku University, has developed a new method for designing cryptographic devices that are highly resistant to side-channel attacks. These attacks exploit physical information leaks, such as power consumption or electromagnetic radiation, to steal data from smartphones, IC cards, and IoT devices.

The research group utilized mathematical analysis to quantitatively evaluate security and establish the necessary and sufficient conditions for protection. By applying these theoretical findings, NEC claims it can achieve a level of physical security equivalent to existing methods but at less than half the implementation cost. In some practical scenarios, the cost could be reduced to one-fifth of traditional methods.

The findings, which will be presented at the CRYPTO 2026 conference in the United States, aim to strengthen the foundations of secure information communication. The team plans to proceed with real-world implementation and third-party evaluations to facilitate widespread social adoption.