Abstract: A multi-core processor based key protection method and system is described. An Operating System (OS) supporting Symmetric Multi-Processing (SMP) is set up on a multi-core processor. One core of the multi-core processor is configured as a cryptographic operation core, which is prohibited from running other processes of the OS and dedicated to perform a public-key cryptographic operation. The private key and an intermediate variable in a process of the public-key cryptographic operation are stored in a cache exclusively occupied by the cryptographic operation core.