Abstract
Recent work on embedded post-quantum cryptography has focused primarily on instruction-level optimization, including arithmetic-kernel improvements, assembly tuning, register allocation, and instruction scheduling. Using the Module-Lattice-Based Key-Encapsulation Mechanism (ML-KEM) on an Arm Cortex-M7 as a case study, we examine the additional gains available from memory-hierarchy utilization, tightly coupled memory placement, peripheral integration, clock configuration, and deterministic public-data reuse. The evaluation starts from a state-of-the-art SLOTHY-optimized implementation and covers all three ML-KEM parameter sets. Without modifying the cryptographic algorithm or standardized wire formats, the evaluated profiles without auxiliary public state reduce cycles by up to 2.5%. A selected public-data-reuse profile reduces encapsulation and decapsulation cycles by up to 74.6% and 58.8%, respectively. These results demonstrate that substantial deployment gains remain after arithmetic-kernel optimization and motivate a two-stage methodology that also examines the surrounding execution system.
Keywords
Publication details
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Cite this article
APA 7
Sayed, M. A., Taha, M., & Nijjer, G. (2026). System-Level Optimization Beyond Cryptographic Kernels: An ML-KEM Case Study on Arm Cortex-M7. https://omanscience.com/en/articles/system-level-optimization-beyond-cryptographic-kernels-an-ml-kem-case-study-on-arm-cortex-m7
MLA 9
Sayed, Mahmoud Abdelhafeez, et al. "System-Level Optimization Beyond Cryptographic Kernels: An ML-KEM Case Study on Arm Cortex-M7." https://omanscience.com/en/articles/system-level-optimization-beyond-cryptographic-kernels-an-ml-kem-case-study-on-arm-cortex-m7.
Chicago (author–date)
Sayed, Mahmoud Abdelhafeez, Mostafa Taha, and Gurp Nijjer. 2026. "System-Level Optimization Beyond Cryptographic Kernels: An ML-KEM Case Study on Arm Cortex-M7." https://omanscience.com/en/articles/system-level-optimization-beyond-cryptographic-kernels-an-ml-kem-case-study-on-arm-cortex-m7.
Harvard
Sayed, M. A., Taha, M. and Nijjer, G. (2026) 'System-Level Optimization Beyond Cryptographic Kernels: An ML-KEM Case Study on Arm Cortex-M7', Available at: https://omanscience.com/en/articles/system-level-optimization-beyond-cryptographic-kernels-an-ml-kem-case-study-on-arm-cortex-m7.
Vancouver
Sayed MA, Taha M, Nijjer G. System-Level Optimization Beyond Cryptographic Kernels: An ML-KEM Case Study on Arm Cortex-M7. https://omanscience.com/en/articles/system-level-optimization-beyond-cryptographic-kernels-an-ml-kem-case-study-on-arm-cortex-m7
IEEE
M. A. Sayed, M. Taha, and G. Nijjer, "System-Level Optimization Beyond Cryptographic Kernels: An ML-KEM Case Study on Arm Cortex-M7," https://omanscience.com/en/articles/system-level-optimization-beyond-cryptographic-kernels-an-ml-kem-case-study-on-arm-cortex-m7.