diff --git a/doc/guides/cryptodevs/features/default.ini b/doc/guides/cryptodevs/features/default.ini
index 304a6a94f..a14ee87d9 100644
--- a/doc/guides/cryptodevs/features/default.ini
+++ b/doc/guides/cryptodevs/features/default.ini
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ RSA PRIV OP KEY EXP    =
 RSA PRIV OP KEY QT     =
 Digest encrypted       =
 Asymmetric sessionless =
+CPU crypto             =
 
 ;
 ; Supported crypto algorithms of a default crypto driver.
diff --git a/doc/guides/prog_guide/cryptodev_lib.rst b/doc/guides/prog_guide/cryptodev_lib.rst
index ac1643774..b91f7c8b7 100644
--- a/doc/guides/prog_guide/cryptodev_lib.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/prog_guide/cryptodev_lib.rst
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ..  SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
-    Copyright(c) 2016-2017 Intel Corporation.
+    Copyright(c) 2016-2020 Intel Corporation.
 
 Cryptography Device Library
 ===========================
@@ -600,6 +600,37 @@ chain.
         };
     };
 
+Synchronous mode
+----------------
+
+Some cryptodevs support synchronous mode alongside with a standard asynchronous
+mode. In that case operations are performed directly when calling
+``rte_cryptodev_sym_cpu_crypto_process`` method instead of enqueuing and
+dequeuing an operation before. This mode of operation allows cryptodevs which
+utilize CPU cryptographic acceleration to have significant performance boost
+comparing to standard asynchronous approach. Cryptodevs supporting synchronous
+mode have ``RTE_CRYPTODEV_FF_SYM_CPU_CRYPTO`` feature flag set.
+
+To perform a synchronous operation a call to
+``rte_cryptodev_sym_cpu_crypto_process`` has to be made with vectorized
+operation descriptor (``struct rte_crypto_sym_vec``) containing:
+
+- ``num`` - number of operations to perform,
+- pointer to an array of size ``num`` containing a scatter-gather list
+  descriptors of performed operations (``struct rte_crypto_sgl``). Each instance
+  of ``struct rte_crypto_sgl`` consists of a number of segments and a pointer to
+  an array of segment descriptors ``struct rte_crypto_vec``;
+- pointers to arrays of size ``num`` containing IV, AAD and digest information,
+- pointer to an array of size ``num`` where status information will be stored
+  for each operation.
+
+Function returns a number of successfully completed operations and sets
+appropriate status number for each operation in the status array provided as
+a call argument. Status different than zero must be treated as error.
+
+For more details, e.g. how to convert an mbuf to an SGL, please refer to an
+example usage in the IPsec library implementation.
+
 Sample code
 -----------
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_crypto_sym.h b/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_crypto_sym.h
index bc356f6ff..5ca55a5e0 100644
--- a/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_crypto_sym.h
+++ b/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_crypto_sym.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
- * Copyright(c) 2016-2019 Intel Corporation
+ * Copyright(c) 2016-2020 Intel Corporation
  */
 
 #ifndef _RTE_CRYPTO_SYM_H_
@@ -25,6 +25,67 @@ extern "C" {
 #include <rte_mempool.h>
 #include <rte_common.h>
 
+/**
+ * Crypto IO Vector (in analogy with struct iovec)
+ * Supposed be used to pass input/output data buffers for crypto data-path
+ * functions.
+ */
+struct rte_crypto_vec {
+	/** virtual address of the data buffer */
+	void *base;
+	/** IOVA of the data buffer */
+	rte_iova_t iova;
+	/** length of the data buffer */
+	uint32_t len;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Crypto scatter-gather list descriptor. Consists of a pointer to an array
+ * of Crypto IO vectors with its size.
+ */
+struct rte_crypto_sgl {
+	/** start of an array of vectors */
+	struct rte_crypto_vec *vec;
+	/** size of an array of vectors */
+	uint32_t num;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Synchronous operation descriptor.
+ * Supposed to be used with CPU crypto API call.
+ */
+struct rte_crypto_sym_vec {
+	/** array of SGL vectors */
+	struct rte_crypto_sgl *sgl;
+	/** array of pointers to IV */
+	void **iv;
+	/** array of pointers to AAD */
+	void **aad;
+	/** array of pointers to digest */
+	void **digest;
+	/**
+	 * array of statuses for each operation:
+	 *  - 0 on success
+	 *  - errno on error
+	 */
+	int32_t *status;
+	/** number of operations to perform */
+	uint32_t num;
+};
+
+/**
+ * used for cpu_crypto_process_bulk() to specify head/tail offsets
+ * for auth/cipher processing.
+ */
+union rte_crypto_sym_ofs {
+	uint64_t raw;
+	struct {
+		struct {
+			uint16_t head;
+			uint16_t tail;
+		} auth, cipher;
+	} ofs;
+};
 
 /** Symmetric Cipher Algorithms */
 enum rte_crypto_cipher_algorithm {
@@ -798,6 +859,71 @@ __rte_crypto_sym_op_attach_sym_session(struct rte_crypto_sym_op *sym_op,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Converts portion of mbuf data into a vector representation.
+ * Each segment will be represented as a separate entry in *vec* array.
+ * Expects that provided *ofs* + *len* not to exceed mbuf's *pkt_len*.
+ * @param mbuf
+ *   Pointer to the *rte_mbuf* object.
+ * @param ofs
+ *   Offset within mbuf data to start with.
+ * @param len
+ *   Length of data to represent.
+ * @return
+ *   - number of successfully filled entries in *vec* array.
+ *   - negative number of elements in *vec* array required.
+ */
+__rte_experimental
+static inline int
+rte_crypto_mbuf_to_vec(const struct rte_mbuf *mb, uint32_t ofs, uint32_t len,
+	struct rte_crypto_vec vec[], uint32_t num)
+{
+	uint32_t i;
+	struct rte_mbuf *nseg;
+	uint32_t left;
+	uint32_t seglen;
+
+	/* assuming that requested data starts in the first segment */
+	RTE_ASSERT(mb->data_len > ofs);
+
+	if (mb->nb_segs > num)
+		return -mb->nb_segs;
+
+	vec[0].base = rte_pktmbuf_mtod_offset(mb, void *, ofs);
+	vec[0].iova = rte_pktmbuf_iova_offset(mb, ofs);
+
+	/* whole data lies in the first segment */
+	seglen = mb->data_len - ofs;
+	if (len <= seglen) {
+		vec[0].len = len;
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	/* data spread across segments */
+	vec[0].len = seglen;
+	left = len - seglen;
+	for (i = 1, nseg = mb->next; nseg != NULL; nseg = nseg->next, i++) {
+
+		vec[i].base = rte_pktmbuf_mtod(nseg, void *);
+		vec[i].iova = rte_pktmbuf_iova(nseg);
+
+		seglen = nseg->data_len;
+		if (left <= seglen) {
+			/* whole requested data is completed */
+			vec[i].len = left;
+			left = 0;
+			break;
+		}
+
+		/* use whole segment */
+		vec[i].len = seglen;
+		left -= seglen;
+	}
+
+	RTE_ASSERT(left == 0);
+	return i + 1;
+}
+
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev.c b/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev.c
index 5c6359b5c..889d61319 100644
--- a/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev.c
+++ b/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
- * Copyright(c) 2015-2017 Intel Corporation
+ * Copyright(c) 2015-2020 Intel Corporation
  */
 
 #include <sys/types.h>
@@ -494,6 +494,8 @@ rte_cryptodev_get_feature_name(uint64_t flag)
 		return "RSA_PRIV_OP_KEY_QT";
 	case RTE_CRYPTODEV_FF_DIGEST_ENCRYPTED:
 		return "DIGEST_ENCRYPTED";
+	case RTE_CRYPTODEV_FF_SYM_CPU_CRYPTO:
+		return "SYM_CPU_CRYPTO";
 	default:
 		return NULL;
 	}
@@ -1619,6 +1621,37 @@ rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_user_data(
 	return (void *)(sess->sess_data + sess->nb_drivers);
 }
 
+static inline void
+sym_crypto_fill_status(struct rte_crypto_sym_vec *vec, int32_t errnum)
+{
+	uint32_t i;
+	for (i = 0; i < vec->num; i++)
+		vec->status[i] = errnum;
+}
+
+uint32_t
+rte_cryptodev_sym_cpu_crypto_process(uint8_t dev_id,
+	struct rte_cryptodev_sym_session *sess, union rte_crypto_sym_ofs ofs,
+	struct rte_crypto_sym_vec *vec)
+{
+	struct rte_cryptodev *dev;
+
+	if (!rte_cryptodev_pmd_is_valid_dev(dev_id)) {
+		sym_crypto_fill_status(vec, EINVAL);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	dev = rte_cryptodev_pmd_get_dev(dev_id);
+
+	if (*dev->dev_ops->sym_cpu_process == NULL ||
+		!(dev->feature_flags & RTE_CRYPTODEV_FF_SYM_CPU_CRYPTO)) {
+		sym_crypto_fill_status(vec, ENOTSUP);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	return dev->dev_ops->sym_cpu_process(dev, sess, ofs, vec);
+}
+
 /** Initialise rte_crypto_op mempool element */
 static void
 rte_crypto_op_init(struct rte_mempool *mempool,
diff --git a/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev.h b/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev.h
index c6ffa3b35..437b8a9b3 100644
--- a/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev.h
+++ b/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
- * Copyright(c) 2015-2017 Intel Corporation.
+ * Copyright(c) 2015-2020 Intel Corporation.
  */
 
 #ifndef _RTE_CRYPTODEV_H_
@@ -450,6 +450,8 @@ rte_cryptodev_asym_get_xform_enum(enum rte_crypto_asym_xform_type *xform_enum,
 /**< Support encrypted-digest operations where digest is appended to data */
 #define RTE_CRYPTODEV_FF_ASYM_SESSIONLESS		(1ULL << 20)
 /**< Support asymmetric session-less operations */
+#define	RTE_CRYPTODEV_FF_SYM_CPU_CRYPTO			(1ULL << 21)
+/**< Support symmetric cpu-crypto processing */
 
 
 /**
@@ -1274,6 +1276,24 @@ void *
 rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_user_data(
 					struct rte_cryptodev_sym_session *sess);
 
+/**
+ * Perform actual crypto processing (encrypt/digest or auth/decrypt)
+ * on user provided data.
+ *
+ * @param	dev_id	The device identifier.
+ * @param	sess	Cryptodev session structure
+ * @param	ofs	Start and stop offsets for auth and cipher operations
+ * @param	vec	Vectorized operation descriptor
+ *
+ * @return
+ *  - Returns number of successfully processed packets.
+ */
+__rte_experimental
+uint32_t
+rte_cryptodev_sym_cpu_crypto_process(uint8_t dev_id,
+	struct rte_cryptodev_sym_session *sess, union rte_crypto_sym_ofs ofs,
+	struct rte_crypto_sym_vec *vec);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev_pmd.h b/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev_pmd.h
index fba14f2fa..0e6b5f443 100644
--- a/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev_pmd.h
+++ b/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev_pmd.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
- * Copyright(c) 2015-2016 Intel Corporation.
+ * Copyright(c) 2015-2020 Intel Corporation.
  */
 
 #ifndef _RTE_CRYPTODEV_PMD_H_
@@ -308,6 +308,23 @@ typedef void (*cryptodev_sym_free_session_t)(struct rte_cryptodev *dev,
  */
 typedef void (*cryptodev_asym_free_session_t)(struct rte_cryptodev *dev,
 		struct rte_cryptodev_asym_session *sess);
+/**
+ * Perform actual crypto processing (encrypt/digest or auth/decrypt)
+ * on user provided data.
+ *
+ * @param	dev	Crypto device pointer
+ * @param	sess	Cryptodev session structure
+ * @param	ofs	Start and stop offsets for auth and cipher operations
+ * @param	vec	Vectorized operation descriptor
+ *
+ * @return
+ *  - Returns number of successfully processed packets.
+ *
+ */
+typedef uint32_t (*cryptodev_sym_cpu_crypto_process_t)
+	(struct rte_cryptodev *dev, struct rte_cryptodev_sym_session *sess,
+	union rte_crypto_sym_ofs ofs, struct rte_crypto_sym_vec *vec);
+
 
 /** Crypto device operations function pointer table */
 struct rte_cryptodev_ops {
@@ -342,6 +359,8 @@ struct rte_cryptodev_ops {
 	/**< Clear a Crypto sessions private data. */
 	cryptodev_asym_free_session_t asym_session_clear;
 	/**< Clear a Crypto sessions private data. */
+	cryptodev_sym_cpu_crypto_process_t sym_cpu_process;
+	/**< process input data synchronously (cpu-crypto). */
 };
 
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev_version.map b/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev_version.map
index 1dd1e259a..6e41b4be5 100644
--- a/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev_version.map
+++ b/lib/librte_cryptodev/rte_cryptodev_version.map
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ EXPERIMENTAL {
 	rte_cryptodev_asym_session_init;
 	rte_cryptodev_asym_xform_capability_check_modlen;
 	rte_cryptodev_asym_xform_capability_check_optype;
+	rte_cryptodev_sym_cpu_crypto_process;
 	rte_cryptodev_sym_get_existing_header_session_size;
 	rte_cryptodev_sym_session_get_user_data;
 	rte_cryptodev_sym_session_pool_create;
