“The NCSC conducts a very rigorous analysis, and the work done with Microchip on the PolarFire FPGA Design Separation Methodology allows users to leverage the device’s best levels of resilience and functional isolation. This reinforces Microchip’s commitment to our holistic approach to security,” said Tim Morin, a technical expert in Microchip’s FPGA business unit. “This analysis offers optional single-chip cryptography alongside the existing encryption within devices to protect IP, security data, and provide protection against tampering attempts, which are often overlooked but pose a significant threat to any electronic system, especially those at the smart edge.”.
PolarFire FPGAs incorporate Microchip's excellent security architecture to protect intellectual property, as well as data and supply chain security.
• IP protection in PolarFire FPGAs includes:
o Configuration files with AES 256 encryption and SHA 256-based HMAC authentication
o Processing protected against DPA (Differential Power Analysis) using technology licensed from Cryptography Research Incorporated (CRI)
o Public-key cryptographic kernels: ECC (Elliptic Curve Cryptography) for secure key distribution
o True random number generators
• Among the data security features of PolarFire FPGAs are:
o Enhanced cryptographic accelerators for use in the end application
o The license transferred by CRI allows royalty-free development of DPA-protected algorithms using CRI-patented techniques
• PolarFire FPGA supply chain security features reduce the risk of counterfeiting, remarking, and modification and include:
o Silicon biometrics, including PUF (Physically Unclonable Functions) that allow each device to be identified and cryptographically validated
