Secure intra-chip hardware micro-segmentation using charged particle beam processing

    公开(公告)号:US11063756B1

    公开(公告)日:2021-07-13

    申请号:US16660256

    申请日:2019-10-22

    Abstract: Methods, systems and devices for using different encryption keys written into interconnects of different functional blocks in different integrated circuits to securely encrypt and authenticate firmware, data, instructions and other messages transmitted among said functional blocks; and methods, systems and devices to obfuscate encryption keys to significantly increase the time and resources required to compromise those keys, ensuring encrypted data is only decrypted by authorized functional blocks, applications or users. Unique keys, small enough not to impact substrate surface area available for other device functions, can be written by charged particle beams such that multiple (or each of) functional blocks has a corresponding key unique within an IC and across a line of ICs and so that access to said keys is as limited (or nonexistent) as desired. Circuits embodying key bits can also be distributed throughout ICs and across layers, uniquely to individual functional blocks in individual ICs, to obfuscate patterns implementing keys and thereby raising time and resource cost to reverse engineer keys to prohibitive levels.

    Secure permanent integrated circuit personalization

    公开(公告)号:US10659229B1

    公开(公告)日:2020-05-19

    申请号:US16276047

    申请日:2019-02-14

    Abstract: Methods, systems and devices for using charged particle beams (CPBs) to write different die-specific, non-volatile, electronically readable data to different dies on a substrate. CPBs can fully write die-specific data within the chip interconnect structure during the device fabrication process, at high resolution and within a small area, allowing one or multiple usefully-sized values to be securely written to service device functions. CPBs can write die-specific data in areas readable or unreadable through a (or any) communications bus. Die-specific data can be used for, e.g.: encryption keys; communications addresses; manufacturing information (including die identification numbers); random number generator improvements; or single, nested, or compartmentalized security codes. Die-specific data and locations for writing die-specific data can be kept in encrypted form when not being written to the substrate to conditionally or permanently prevent any knowledge of said data and locations.

Patent Agency Ranking