The Common Evaluation Platform (CEP) is an SoC design that contains only license-unencumbered, freely available components. The CEP includes a range of accelerator cores coupled with a key delivery mechanism, and parametrically-defined challenge modules which can be synthesized to support developmental testing. The implementation of the CEP includes a comprehensive verification environment to ensure modifications do not impede intended functionality. It is intended to be targeted to either an FPGA or ASIC implementation.