---
name: "ubsec"
section: "4"
platform: "linux"
package: "freebsd-manpages"
version: "6.0-5"
release: "Debian 4.0 (Etch)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ubsec"
---

# ubsec(4)

Broadcom and BlueSteel uBsec 5x0x crypto accelerator

## NAME

**ubsec** – Broadcom and BlueSteel uBsec 5x0x crypto accelerator

## SYNOPSIS

**device** **ubsec**

## DESCRIPTION

The **ubsec** driver supports cards containing Broadcom and BlueSteel uBsec 5x0x crypto accelerator chips.

The **ubsec** driver registers itself to accelerate DES, Triple-DES, MD5-HMAC, and SHA1-HMAC operations for [ipsec(4)](/ipsec/4.md) and [crypto(4)](/crypto/4.md).

On those models which contain a public key engine (almost all of the more recent ones), this feature is registered with the [crypto(4)](/crypto/4.md) subsystem.

On all models except the Bluesteel 5501 and Broadcom 5801, the driver registers itself to provide random data to the [random(4)](/random/4.md) subsystem.

## HARDWARE

The **ubsec** driver supports cards containing any of the following chips:

- Bluesteel 5501

  The original chipset, no longer made. This extremely rare unit was not very fast, lacked a RNG, and had a number of other bugs.

- Bluesteel 5601

  A faster and fixed version of the original, with a random number unit and large number engine added.

- Broadcom BCM5801

  A BCM5805 without public key engine or random number generator.

- Broadcom BCM5802

  A slower version of the BCM5805.

- Broadcom BCM5805

  Faster version of Bluesteel 5601.

- Broadcom BCM5820

  64 bit version of the chip, and significantly more advanced.

- Broadcom BCM5821

  Faster version of the BCM5820.

- Broadcom BCM5822

  Faster version of the BCM5820.

- Broadcom BCM5823

  A BCM5822 with AES capability.

## SEE ALSO

[crypt(3)](/crypt/3.md), [crypto(4)](/crypto/4.md), [intro(4)](/intro/4.md), [ipsec(4)](/ipsec/4.md), [random(4)](/random/4.md), [crypto(9)](/crypto/9.md)

## HISTORY

The **ubsec** device driver appeared in OpenBSD 2.8. The **ubsec** device driver was imported to FreeBSD 5.0.

## BUGS

The BCM5801 and BCM5802 have not actually been tested. The AES capability of the BCM5823 is not yet supported; it is awaiting public disclosure of programming information from Broadcom.