A co-processor (44) executes an arithmetical algorithm that computes modular exponentiation equations for encrypting or decrypting data. A pipelined multiplier (56) receives sixteen bit data values stored in an A/B RAM (72) and generates a partial product. The generated partial product is summed in a summer (58) with a previous partial product stored in a product RAM (64). A modulo reducer (60) causes a binary data value N to be aligned and added to the summed value when a particular data bit location of the summed value has a logic one value. An N RAM (70) stores the data value N that is added in a modulo reducer (60) to the summed value.
