What is CLEFIA?

CLEFIA is an efficient, highly secure block cipher algorithm that delivers advanced copyright protection and authentication.

Based on a cutting-edge cipher design technique, Sony's CLEFIA block cipher maintains a high security level while providing both world-leading hardware and software implementation capabilities, the combination of which had proved difficult until now. When implemented in hardware it achieves the world's highest hardware gate efficiency. When implemented in software it can realize high speed performance on a wide variety of processors.

The CLEFIA interface corresponds to 128-bit block cipher technology such as the US government's Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), and the ISO/IEC 18033-3 International Standards. The block length is 128 bits, while key length of 128 bits, 192 bits, and 256 bits can be selected.

The CLEFIA cipher is designed to concentrate state-of-the-art cryptanalysis techniques and achieve sufficient immunity against known cryptanalytic attacks. Sony has cooperated with Japan's leading researcher*1 in this field to create this design, and has had the new cipher design verified by a number of third party experts overseas.

Going forward, Sony will seek to establish an environment in which CLEFIA can be used across various applications and products such as network devices, while continuing to develop technologies that our customers can use with confidence.

• *1Tetsu Iwata, Dr. Eng., Associate Professor of Nagoya University