Final answer:
Cryptographic algorithms are implemented in hardware to enhance security and performance and to protect against side-channel attacks. Hardware execution is generally faster and more secure, with specialized hardware offering efficient and tamper-resistant cryptographic processing.
Step-by-step explanation:
Some platforms implement cryptographic algorithms in hardware to provide enhanced security, better performance, and resistance against side-channel attacks. When cryptography is implemented in hardware, operations can be executed more quickly than in software due to specialized optimizations. Furthermore, hardware implementations can be designed to be tamper-resistant, ensuring the cryptographic processes remain secure even if the host system is compromised.
Several reasons such as speed and security drive the choice of hardware over software for cryptographic operations. Dedicated cryptographic hardware provides higher efficiency and is often used in environments that require secure transactions, like in banking or military communications. The hardware such as ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) and FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) can execute complex cryptographic algorithms with fewer chances of leaking sensitive information through timing or power consumption, which are common vulnerabilities in software implementations.