Ascon by Xiphera is a lightweight, sponge-based algorithm that performs authenticated encryption with associated data (AEAD), hashing, and extendable output function (XOF). Xiphera offers the Ascon IP core (XIP2201B) for a lightweight cryptographic suite suitable for devices with limited resources, particularly in Industrial IoT. Ascon encrypts and authenticates data, preserving privacy and integrity. Associated data is authenticated but not encrypted. Ascon also performs hashing, which maps messages to fixed length hashes that cannot be inverted, and XOFs, which allow for variable length output.
