Executing digital signature operations in a secure element platform runtime environment

A method, comprising:

• initializing a signature generation object in a secure element (SE) platform runtime environment,
• wherein the SE platform runtime environment is executing on at least one SE processor of a SE hardware device;
• determining, via the signature generation object, a private key corresponding to a hash-based signature protocol;
• generating, via the signature generation object, a digital signature of a message digest by utilizing the private key to execute the hash-based signature protocol on the message digest, wherein generating the digital signature of the message digest comprises:
• generating a first signature segment at least by executing the hash-based signature protocol on a first digest segment representing a first portion of the message digest;
• and
• generating a second signature segment at least by executing the hash-based signature protocol on a second digest segment representing a second portion of the message digest;
• prior to generating the second signature segment:
• storing the first signature segment in a first transient memory element of the SE hardware device;
• initializing a temporary entry point object comprising a pointer to the first transient memory element;
• subsequent to generating the second signature segment:
• accessing the first signature segment via the temporary entry point object;
• combining the first signature segment and the second signature segment;
• wherein the digital signature comprises the first signature segment and the second signature segment;
• outputting the digital signature to a hardware device.

A system comprising:

• at least one secure element (SE) hardware processor;
• the system being configured to perform operations comprising:
• initializing a signature generation object in a secure element (SE) platform runtime environment,
• wherein the SE platform runtime environment is executing on at least one SE processor of a SE hardware device;
• determining, via the signature generation object, a private key corresponding to a hash-based signature protocol;
• generating, via the signature generation object, a digital signature of a message digest by utilizing the private key to execute the hash-based signature protocol on the message digest, wherein generating the digital signature of the message digest comprises:
• generating a first signature segment at least by executing the hash-based signature protocol on a first digest segment representing a first portion of the message digest;
• and
• generating a second signature segment at least by executing the hash-based signature protocol on a second digest segment representing a second portion of the message digest;
• prior to generating the second signature segment:
• storing the first signature segment in a first transient memory element of the SE hardware device;
• initializing a temporary entry point object comprising a pointer to the first transient memory element;
• subsequent to generating the second signature segment:
• accessing the first signature segment via the temporary entry point object;
• combining the first signature segment and the second signature segment;
• wherein the digital signature comprises the first signature segment and the second signature segment;
• outputting the digital signature to a hardware device.