DES　(Data　Encryption　Standard)　is　one　of　the　most　classical　algorithms　of　cryptography　and　its　higher　security　makes　it　hard　to　be　broke　for　a　very　long　time.　However,　along　with　the　constant　development　of　computer　technology,　especially　in　the　21st　century,　DES　cannot　be　applied　widely　because　of　its　low　efficiency.　Recently,　the　novel　heterogeneous　multi-core　architecture　represented　by　APU　(Accelerated　Processing　Unit),　provides　a　new　solution　for　the　above　problems.　APU　integrates　CPU　and　GPU　in　a　groundbreaking　manner　and　makes　the　algorithm　to　make　full　use　of　the　performance　advantage　of　heterogeneous　multi-core　system　by　realizing　the　HSA　(Heterogeneous　System　Architecture)　standard.　This　paper　realizes　DES　on　the　fresh　APU　processor.　By　analyzing　the　performance,　two　kinds　of　improved　schemes　are　proposed.　The　experimental　results　show　that　the　running　efficiency　of　algorithm　can　be　greatly　improved　by　using　APU　with　reasonable　optimization.　In　the　same　way,　the　other　DES-like　algorithm　would　also　be　optimized　on　these　heterogeneous　multi-core　architecture.　©　Springer　Nature　Singapore　Pte　Ltd.　2018.