masks have been generated by mask generator 60 using the existing seed when a new seed is needed the new seed will be obtained in the same manner as discussed above more specifically mask generator 60 will request a new seed new random number from seed distribution block 50 for register 65 seed distribution block 50 will request a new random number from random number generator 40 and the new seed will be provided to register 65 of mask generator 60 masks continue to be provided by mask generator 60 to cryptographic accelerators 90 and 92 if one or both of the cryptographic accelerators requests a mask during re seeding such that no cryptographic accelerator lacks a requested mask during re seeding continuing to refer to fig3 mask generator 60 uses a transformation block 69 in conjunction with register 65 to generate new random masks on every clock cycle in which an updated mask has been requested by a cryptographic accelerator a new 256 bit random number is created by means of a function performed by transformation block 69 in the function performed by transformation block 69 bits of the random number located in register 65 the contents of register 65 are altered by transformation block 69 and the altered bits are placed back into register 65 the resulting new 256 bit number is a new mask that is provided to cryptographic accelerator 90 via data bus 91 or cryptographic accelerator 92 via data bus 93 each time that a new mask is provided in this manner a counter in transformation block 69 is incremented once the counter has reached a pre determined number mask generator 60 requests a new seed for.