Custom hardware attack

In cryptography, a custom hardware attack uses specifically designed application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) to decipher encrypted messages.

Integrated circuits (ICs) are constructed of these gates and often can execute cryptographic algorithms hundreds of times faster than a general purpose computer.

The primary limitations on this method are the cost of chip design, IC fabrication, floor space, electric power and thermal dissipation.

[2] The earliest custom hardware attack may have been the Bombe used to recover Enigma machine keys in World War II.

[4] It is generally believed[citation needed] that large government code breaking organizations, such as the U.S. National Security Agency, make extensive use of custom hardware attacks, but no examples have been declassified or leaked as of 2005[update].

The EFF's "Deep Crack" machine contained 1,856 custom chips and could brute force a DES key in a matter of days — the photo shows a circuit board fitted with 32 custom attack chips