Ascon-based lightweight cryptography standards for constrained devices :
Meltem Sönmez Turan, Kerry A McKay, Donghoon Chang, Jinkeon Kang, John Kelsey · 2025
In 2023, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced the selectionof the Ascon family of algorithms designed by Dobraunig, Eichlseder, Mendel, and Schläfferto provide efficient cryptographic solutions for resource-constrained devices. This decisionemerged from a rigorous, multi-round lightweight cryptography standardization process.The Ascon family includes a suite of cryptographic primitives that provide AuthenticatedEncryption with Associated Data (AEAD), hash function, and eXtendable Output Function(XOF) capabilities. The Ascon family is characterized by lightweight, permutation-basedprimitives and providesrobustsecurity, efficiency, and flexibility, making it ideal for resourceconstrained environments, such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices, embedded systems,and low-power sensors. The family is developed to offer a viable alternative when theAdvanced Encryption Standard (AES) may not perform optimally. This standard outlinesthe technical specifications and security properties of Ascon-AEAD128, Ascon-Hash256,Ascon-XOF128, and Ascon-CXOF128.