how to decrypt Xilinx IPCORE source code

[ali_asadzadeh]

Hi,
Found this one on a random search,
https://www.fpgarelated.com/showthread/comp.arch.fpga/81295-1.php
Do you have any suggestions?

[rstofer]

Seems to be theft of Intellectual Property if used or disclosed.
If cores are made available under license, comply with the terms.  Pay the fee or write your own.

[dtodorov]

Hi,
Found this one on a random search,
https://www.fpgarelated.com/showthread/comp.arch.fpga/81295-1.php
Do you have any suggestions?

Suggestions for what? Xilinx offers basically a ton of free IP for users of low-end cores, on github and internet in general it's full of examples. I see this is more of a proof-of-hacking excercise rather than actually useful to decrypt any design.

PS. This is like 10+ years old thread.

[ebastler]

Do you have any suggestions?

My suggestion would be to leave it alone.

[ali_asadzadeh]

I was thinking if Xilinx or Microsoft or other companies can not protect their own IP with encryption, why they sell it to ppl!?

[ebastler]

I was thinking if Xilinx or Microsoft or other companies can not protect their own IP with encryption, why they sell it to ppl!?

Morale and the legal system may come into play here.

My greengrocer does not have a bulletproof system to prevent theft either. Yet he sells his goods, and it seems to work for him since most people are either honest or don't want to get caught and punished.

[asmi]

I was thinking if Xilinx or Microsoft or other companies can not protect their own IP with encryption, why they sell it to ppl!?

What a ridiculous statement! What does encryption have to do with selling products? You aren't required to encrypt anything to sell a product. Using a commercial product without a proper license is as much of a crime as doing the same while also breaking encryption in the process. There are plenty of commercial open-source products, or even close-sourced ones which provide a source code along with the binaries upon purchase. I also in some cases provide a full source code of the bitstream/firmware to my customers along with hardware.

[ali_asadzadeh]

I mean Selling encryption IP cores like AES or DES as a product, when they can not even protect themselves!

[Daixiwen]

Making an AES or DES core is easy. The difficult (and vulnerable) part of any system using encryption is taking care of the keys.

[laugensalm]

Why would you want to decrypt the source?
The only somewhat legitimate use is to run it through an open source simulator or personal interest (and realizing the encryption being a way of hiding horrible code..).
There are simple openssl wrappers for that. However, the keys can not be published, neither does the big X cover you with lots of love if you post detailed steps on obtaining them (They're typically PEM files on your harddisk).