In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method that includes segmenting an n-bit exponent e into a first segment et and a number t of k-bit segments ei in response to a request to determine a modular exponentiation result R, wherein R is a modular exponentiation of a generator base g for the exponent e and a q-bit modulus m, wherein the generator base g equals two and k is based at least in part on a processor configured to determine the result R; iteratively determining a respective intermediate modular exponentiation result for each segment ei, wherein the determining comprises multiplication, exponentiation and a modular reduction of at least one of a multiplication result and an exponentiation result; and generating the modular exponentiation result R=ge mod m based on, at least in part, at least one respective intermediate modular exponentiation result.