Abstract: The universal circuit of reconfigurable quaternary-logic operators proposed in 2018 provides a core device for configurable encryption technology. A 32-bit configurable encryption device comprising an encryptor, decryptor, and a key derivation operator can be constructed on an area of approximately 1.6 thousandths of a square millimeter on a microchip. Within a 250 MB read-only memory, the source data for 1013 generalized keys can be preset, and each generalized key’s source data can configure the encryption device into a unique encryption system. These configured encryption systems can be sufficient for hundreds of years without reuse. The generalized key source data prestored in the configurable encryption device combined with reservation code technology can realize an utomatic change in the generalized key, thus avoiding any issues inherent in the memorization of keys. The security of the configurable encryption technology is high because of the one-time use of each generalized key. Because both the encryption and decryption processes are performed in hardware, the configurable encryption operation achieves a high speed. Furthermore, owing to the small size of the core circuitry and a memory capacity of only a few hundred megabytes, the configurable encryption device can be made as compact as a USB flash drive. Experimental tests demonstrated that the configurable encryption technology can implement block encryption on a variety of common digital files. It is theoretically speculated that the cipher text of this configurable encryption technology can resist various common attacks. Therefore, this technology has good application prospects.

Key words: universal circuit of recon?gurable quaternary-logic operator, con?gurable encryption technology, generalized key, data ?le encryption/decryption