Quantum Computing Challenged By Security, Error Correction


The number and volume of warnings about a post-quantum cryptography (PQC) world are rising, as governments, banks, and other entities prepare for a rash of compromised data and untrustworthy digital signatures. Exactly when this will become a genuine threat is still somewhat fuzzy, because it depends on progress in developing robust qubits. A report by McKinsey & Co. estimates that by 20... » read more

Hardware Countermeasures Benchmarking against Fault Attacks


Abstract "The development of differential fault analysis (DFA) techniques and mechanisms to inject faults into cryptographic circuits brings with it the need to use protection mechanisms that guarantee the expected level of security. The AES cipher, as a standard, has been the target of numerous DFA techniques, where its security has been compromised through different formulations and types of... » read more

Implementing An AES Cipher On Application-Specific Processors


In the previous blog post, “Embedded Security Using Cryptography”, we looked at how cryptography can be used for securing assets in embedded systems and ensure confidentiality, integrity and authenticity, or in short “CIA”. In this blog, we will explore the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and how to implement an AES engine on Cadence Tensilica Xtensa application-specific processors. ... » read more

Why Data Is So Difficult To Protect In AI Chips


Experts at the Table: Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss a wide range of hardware security issues and possible solutions with Norman Chang, chief technologist for the Semiconductor Business Unit at ANSYS; Helena Handschuh, fellow at Rambus, and Mike Borza, principal security technologist at Synopsys. What follows are excerpts of that conversation. The first part of this discussion ca... » read more

Tech Talk: MCU Acceleration


Tony Kozaczuk, director of Solutions Architecture at Flex Logix, talks about how to add programmability, efficiency, and speed into microcontrollers. https://youtu.be/rDZFjlut_N8 » read more

IoT Security Risks Grow


Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss security issues with Asaf Shen, vice president of marketing for security IP in [getentity id="22186" e_name="ARM's"] Systems & Software Group; Timothy Dry, principal staff marketing manager for the Industrial IoT segment at [getentity id="22819" comment="GlobalFoundries"]; Chowdary Yanamadala, senior vice president of business development at Cha... » read more

What Can Go Wrong In Automotive


Semiconductor Engineering sat down to discuss automotive engineering with Jinesh Jain, supervisor for advanced architectures in Ford’s Research and Innovation Center in Palo Alto; Raed Shatara, market development for automotive infotainment at [getentity id="22331" comment="STMicroelectronics"]; Joe Hupcey, verification product technologist at [getentity id="22017" e_name="Mentor Graphics"]; ... » read more

Making Secure Chips For IoT Devices


Chips and modules going into Internet of Things node devices must have cybersecurity features designed and built into them. Multiple vendors are responding with products meant to keep the IoT devices protected from the cyberattacks that are becoming more common. While [getkc id="76" kc_name="IoT"] privacy remains a key concern for consumers and homeowners, IoT security has taken on top-of-mi... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Sept. 1


Free-electron laser EUV consortium Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is delayed. Chipmakers hope to insert EUV at the 7nm node, but that’s not a given. As before, the big problem is the EUV light source. So far, the source can’t generate enough power to enable the required throughput for EUV in high-volume production. ASML’s current EUV source is operating at 80 Watts, up from 10 ... » read more

Emerging Security Protocols


As the proliferation of mobile devices ramps up at escalating rates, securing these devices and the infrastructure they run on is becoming a top priority for both the hardware and the data that swirls within it. Traditional security platforms such as firewalls and antivirus programs are still a viable part of the security envelope, but the rapid emergence of zero-day/hour threats is somethin... » read more