Performance measurements › x86_1 › kex-06 · system: x86_1 · arm_1

kex-06 MAMBA-NIKE — performance on x86-64 (system x86_1)

Independent measurement following the structure of the NICCS x86 self-assessment guide, §3.5 (1)–(7). Not a submitter self-assessment.

1. Basic information

Category: public-key algorithm; function: key exchange
Algorithm: MAMBA-NIKE
Implementation versions measured: reference
Parameter sets: MAMBA-NIKE-128, MAMBA-NIKE-192, MAMBA-NIKE-256, MAMBA-NIKE-384, MAMBA-NIKE-512
Security evaluation: kex-06 report
Measurement method: x86_1 method
Submission: NICCS page

2. Assessment environment

item	value
processor	12th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-12700 (CPU 2, one core)
clock	max 2.10 GHz, governor performance, turbo off, SMT off
memory	31788 MiB
OS / kernel	Debian GNU/Linux 13 (trixie) / 6.12.107+deb13-amd64
compiler / build tool	gcc (Debian 14.2.0-19) 14.2.0 / cmake version 3.31.6
campaign start / end (UTC)	2026-09-25T10:02:21 / 2026-09-28T10:51:21

3. Functional testing (KAT)

Each library was checked against the submitted KAT vectors (SHA-256 manifest kex-06/kat.sha256 in the harness) before timing.

instance	build flags	KAT
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	guide	PASS
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	guide	PASS
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	guide	PASS
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	guide	PASS
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	guide	PASS

4. Performance

instance	operation	mean cycles	mean time	ops/s	median trial	n (trials × iters)
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	exchange	6.09 M	2.92 ms	343	2.92 ms	1760 (5 × 352)
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	init_a	1.29 M	617 µs	1.62e+03	616 µs	1760 (5 × 352)
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	init_b	1.28 M	615 µs	1.63e+03	614 µs	1760 (5 × 352)
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	pass1	2.49 M	1.19 ms	837	1.19 ms	1760 (5 × 352)
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	derive_a	4276	1.94 µs	5.16e+05	1.95 µs	1760 (5 × 352)
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	derive_b	1.30 M	622 µs	1.61e+03	621 µs	1760 (5 × 352)
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	exchange	6.14 M	2.94 ms	340	2.93 ms	1680 (5 × 336)
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	init_a	1.30 M	622 µs	1.61e+03	622 µs	1680 (5 × 336)
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	init_b	1.29 M	620 µs	1.61e+03	620 µs	1680 (5 × 336)
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	pass1	2.53 M	1.21 ms	826	1.21 ms	1680 (5 × 336)
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	derive_a	4231	1.92 µs	5.2e+05	1.94 µs	1680 (5 × 336)
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	derive_b	1.29 M	619 µs	1.61e+03	621 µs	1680 (5 × 336)
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	exchange	6.20 M	2.97 ms	337	2.96 ms	1785 (5 × 357)
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	init_a	1.31 M	658 µs	1.52e+03	628 µs	1785 (5 × 357)
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	init_b	1.32 M	633 µs	1.58e+03	633 µs	1785 (5 × 357)
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	pass1	2.54 M	1.22 ms	821	1.22 ms	1785 (5 × 357)
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	derive_a	4196	1.9 µs	5.25e+05	1.9 µs	1785 (5 × 357)
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	derive_b	1.30 M	623 µs	1.61e+03	622 µs	1785 (5 × 357)
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	exchange	12.94 M	6.2 ms	161	6.19 ms	810 (5 × 162)
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	init_a	2.62 M	1.25 ms	797	1.26 ms	810 (5 × 162)
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	init_b	2.67 M	1.28 ms	781	1.28 ms	810 (5 × 162)
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	pass1	5.31 M	2.54 ms	393	2.55 ms	810 (5 × 162)
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	derive_a	7858	3.61 µs	2.77e+05	3.63 µs	810 (5 × 162)
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	derive_b	2.74 M	1.35 ms	741	1.31 ms	810 (5 × 162)
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	exchange	13.11 M	6.28 ms	159	6.29 ms	800 (5 × 160)
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	init_a	2.73 M	1.31 ms	764	1.31 ms	800 (5 × 160)
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	init_b	2.73 M	1.31 ms	764	1.31 ms	800 (5 × 160)
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	pass1	5.35 M	2.56 ms	390	2.56 ms	800 (5 × 160)
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	derive_a	7819	3.6 µs	2.78e+05	3.58 µs	800 (5 × 160)
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	derive_b	2.74 M	1.32 ms	760	1.31 ms	800 (5 × 160)

5. Resource consumption

Static memory is approximated by the library's loadable ELF segments; peak memory is the process high-water mark (VmHWM) including the benchmark driver and libc, so both are upper-bound proxies rather than isolated algorithm memory.

instance	operation	static: ELF image (bytes)	baseline RSS	peak RSS
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	exchange	43901	2060 KiB	2132 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	init_a	43901	2052 KiB	2124 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	init_b	43901	2060 KiB	2148 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	pass1	43901	2048 KiB	2148 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	derive_a	43901	2032 KiB	2132 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	derive_b	43901	2060 KiB	2144 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	exchange	43885	2028 KiB	2156 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	init_a	43885	2052 KiB	2136 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	init_b	43885	2040 KiB	2136 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	pass1	43885	2044 KiB	2136 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	derive_a	43885	2044 KiB	2156 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	derive_b	43885	2036 KiB	2156 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	exchange	43949	2044 KiB	2112 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	init_a	43949	2048 KiB	2116 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	init_b	43949	2064 KiB	2148 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	pass1	43949	2048 KiB	2136 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	derive_a	43949	2056 KiB	2124 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	derive_b	43949	2040 KiB	2144 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	exchange	43885	2408 KiB	2480 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	init_a	43885	2392 KiB	2500 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	init_b	43885	2400 KiB	2484 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	pass1	43885	2408 KiB	2492 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	derive_a	43885	2404 KiB	2492 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	derive_b	43885	2396 KiB	2464 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	exchange	43949	2380 KiB	2452 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	init_a	43949	2392 KiB	2500 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	init_b	43949	2312 KiB	2448 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	pass1	43949	2408 KiB	2496 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	derive_a	43949	2400 KiB	2500 KiB
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	derive_b	43949	2388 KiB	2508 KiB

6. Transmission and storage overhead

Bandwidth counts all specified protocol messages and each required public key once. Public keys are transmitted bytes too. Certificates and transport framing are excluded. The published raw timing records are unchanged.

Only the responder's long-term public key is required; this exchange does not authenticate the initiator as a mutually authenticated protocol would.

instance	passes	messages (bytes; raw API)	protocol-message bytes	public key A / B	bandwidth (bytes)	long-term sk (API cap)	shared secret
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	1	1568	1568	0 / 1184	2752	3232	32
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	1	1568	1568	0 / 1312	2880	3360	32
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	1	1568	1568	0 / 1312	2880	3360	32
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	1	3360	3360	0 / 2848	6208	6944	48
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	1	3360	3360	0 / 2848	6208	6944	64

Symmetric primitives

Survey verdict: bypass — SHAKE128/256 + ChaCha20; DRNG only with -DKAT_BUILD, otherwise /dev/urandom

Share of each operation spent in the ICCS placeholder hash functions and in the ICCS DRNG (reference build, measured in the same run with link-time wrappers):

instance	operation	pseudohash/XOF/sm3	DRNG	calls per operation
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	exchange	0.0%	0.5%	drng 6
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	exchange	0.0%	0.5%	drng 6
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	exchange	0.0%	0.5%	drng 6
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	exchange	0.0%	0.2%	drng 6
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	exchange	0.0%	0.2%	drng 6

7. Raw evidence index

Paths are relative to performance/data/x86_1/ in the harness; each JSON file records its commands, environment and trials.

instance	item	file
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	KAT log (sha256 `0228be5a1b75f7e7…`)	`kat/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-128.log`
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	timing derive_a	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-128__derive_a.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	timing derive_b	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-128__derive_b.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	timing exchange	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-128__exchange.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	timing init_a	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-128__init_a.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	timing init_b	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-128__init_b.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	timing pass1	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-128__pass1.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-128`	hash profile exchange	`profile/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-128__exchange.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	KAT log (sha256 `c0ca4648299977a1…`)	`kat/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-192.log`
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	timing derive_a	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-192__derive_a.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	timing derive_b	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-192__derive_b.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	timing exchange	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-192__exchange.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	timing init_a	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-192__init_a.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	timing init_b	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-192__init_b.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	timing pass1	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-192__pass1.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-192`	hash profile exchange	`profile/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-192__exchange.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	KAT log (sha256 `f92ef0f1f12d2904…`)	`kat/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-256.log`
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	timing derive_a	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-256__derive_a.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	timing derive_b	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-256__derive_b.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	timing exchange	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-256__exchange.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	timing init_a	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-256__init_a.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	timing init_b	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-256__init_b.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	timing pass1	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-256__pass1.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-256`	hash profile exchange	`profile/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-256__exchange.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	KAT log (sha256 `a543699cc51547e8…`)	`kat/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-384.log`
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	timing derive_a	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-384__derive_a.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	timing derive_b	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-384__derive_b.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	timing exchange	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-384__exchange.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	timing init_a	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-384__init_a.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	timing init_b	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-384__init_b.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	timing pass1	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-384__pass1.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-384`	hash profile exchange	`profile/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-384__exchange.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	KAT log (sha256 `e5689c47200de2c0…`)	`kat/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-512.log`
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	timing derive_a	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-512__derive_a.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	timing derive_b	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-512__derive_b.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	timing exchange	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-512__exchange.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	timing init_a	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-512__init_a.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	timing init_b	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-512__init_b.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	timing pass1	`records/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-512__pass1.json`
`MAMBA-NIKE-512`	hash profile exchange	`profile/kex-06/MAMBA-NIKE-512__exchange.json`

Scripts: performance/campaign.py, performance/ngcc_perf.c, performance/hashprof/ in the harness.