Microsemi and Intrinsic ID Collaborate to Deliver SRAM-PUF in PolarFire FPGAs

Microsemi Corporation, a leading provider of semiconductor solutions, and Intrinsic ID, the world’s leading provider of digital authentication technology for IoT and embedded applications, have announced collaboration. The aim of this alliance is to deliver Intrinsic ID’s static random-access memory (SRAM) physical unclonable function (SRAM PUF) as a part of Microsemi’s new PolarFire field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). QUIDDIKEY®-FLEX is a state-of-the-art high-security key generation and storage mechanism that offers advanced security features based on SRAM PUF.

 

The SRAM PUF acts as a primary element in protecting customers’ intellectual property (IP) by protecting the confidentiality of the IP against cloning and reverse engineering. Besides, it also offers secure supply chain assurance for PolarFire FPGAs and secures applications like secure communications relying on cryptography.

 

PolarFire FPGAs along with QUIDDIKEY-FLEX’s hardware-intrinsic keys provide an essential trust anchor for the device and system. The PUF is also helpful in protecting a new secure-NVM (sNVM) service where the FPGA customer can optionally store application keys and other sensitive keys and other sensitive data in authenticated or encrypted-and-authenticated form.

 

It’s built on Microsemi’s SmartFusion™2 and IGLOO™2 fourth-generation flash FPGA security model and carries features like design security, anti-tamper and data security with additional and enhanced tamper monitors and responses. These are complementary to the PUF for detecting and responding to threats before system security can be compromised; and with an advanced DPA-resistant crypto-processor. 

QUIDDIKEY-FLEX combines the passive zeroization feature of volatile memory with tamper-resistant non-volatile key storage, without requiring batteries. When the power to the SRAM PUF is off, when not in (active) use, the key effectively becomes invisible. The QUIDDIKEY-FLEX SRAM PUF offers vital protection for secure hardware, design, and data security, which are growing priorities for customers in every end market, particularly within the defense and communications. 

 

 

Intrinsic ID is the world’s leading digital authentication company for the Internet of Things (IoT) and embedded applications. It is the inventor of SRAM Physical Unclonable Function, or SRAM PUF, leveraging manufacturing variations in semiconductors to create unique IDs and keys to authenticate chips, data, devices and systems. Through its flexibility, scalability and low implementation cost, Intrinsic ID products address the security needs of the fast-growing IoT market.

 

Its solutions are used to validate payment systems, secure connectivity, authenticate sensors, and protect sensitive government and military data and systems. Intrinsic ID’s award recognition includes the EU 2016 Innovation Radar Prize, which honors high-potential innovations and innovators in EU-funded research. Intrinsic ID’s SRAM PUF technology has been proven in millions of devices and in products that have passed certification by Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level (EAL6+), EMVCo, Visa and multiple governments.

 

 

Microsemi Corporation offers a comprehensive portfolio of semiconductor and system solutions for aerospace & defense, communications, data center and industrial markets. Products include high-performance and radiation-hardened analog mixed-signal integrated circuits, FPGAs, SoCs and ASICs; power management products; timing and synchronization devices and precise time solutions, setting the world’s standard for time; voice processing devices; RF solutions; discrete components; enterprise storage and communication solutions, security technologies and scalable anti-tamper products; Ethernet solutions; Power-over-Ethernet ICs and midspans; as well as custom design capabilities and services.