Microchip Insider: Strengthening Security in an Interconnected World

Our daily lives revolve around electronic devices that are interconnected to servers, telecommunications, networking and industrial systems and connected IoT devices, all of which are vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks.

The demand for robust, reliable and multi-layered security solutions is more critical than ever. At Microchip, we’re committed to safeguarding your products against increasingly sophisticated threats as a trusted provider of platform security solutions. With decades of experience providing security product solutions in diverse applications including healthcare, cloud connectivity, payment systems and aerospace and defense systems, we can help guide you through the maze of challenges and solutions.

In this edition, we’re diving into security offerings and resources to protect your designs and will highlight cryptographic controllers at the heart of our Real-Time Platform Root of Trust solutions, devices for managing the trust of connected IoT applications, secure authentication ICs that establish trust between devices and security ICs for automotive applications.

Configuring the CEC1736 to Support your Specific Hardware Root-of-Trust Needs

Our recent CEC1736 TrustFLEX Configurator tutorial video walks you through how to configure specific use cases and features that you need, all stacked together on our CEC1736 TrustFLEX real-time platform root-of-trust device. The tutorial will review key features including secure boot, SPI monitor and SPDM attestation, and explain how to provision keys, certificates and code images. It will also describe how to customize security features with the CEC1736 device, which is already partially configured to support most hardware root-of-trust use cases spanning data centers, industrial and telecommunications applications and more. Watch the video to learn how easy it is to configure the CEC1736 to implement the security capabilities you need in your designs.

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Setting up the ECC608 TrustMANAGER with keySTREAM from Kudelski IoT

This video provides a step-by-step guide for setting up the ECC608 TrustMANAGER with the keySTREAM SaaS from Kudelski IoT. You will learn how to create a custom root certificate authority (root CA) and establish an associated Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). Additionally, the video demonstrates how to trigger in-field provisioning and manage your device certificates and keys using keySTREAM.

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To learn more about the Trust Platform Design Suite, visit: Trust Platform Design Suite .

Implementing Diversified Key Authentication with SHA104/105 Secure Authentication ICs

As the value of today’s accessories and disposable devices grows, it becomes crucial to protect them from cyber threats by using diversified key authentication. This capability is delivered through our CryptoAuthentication? family of hardware-based secure storage devices including the recently announced SHA104 (client-side) and SHA105 (host-side) devices that can be used alone for one-way authentication or together for mutual authentication.

In this Chiptorial exploring the diversified authentication use case for the Trust Platform Design Suite Software, we review the device interface architecture and other key concepts of diversified key authentication and how to protect keys with Microchip’s secure provisioning service, and then walk viewers through the steps for implementing this robust security solution with the SHA104 and SHA105 TrustFLEX secure authentication ICs.

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For more information on our CryptoAuthentication family, visit: CryptoAuthentication Family .

Deploying Asymmetric Authentication with ECC204 TrustFLEX Devices

Like the SHA104/105 secure authentication ICs, the recently added ECC204 TrustFLEX is designed to keep secret keys hidden from unauthorized attacks and is pre-configured with defined use cases, customizable cryptographic keys and code examples to streamline the development process.

In this Chiptorial, we use our complimentary Trust Platform Design Suite (TPDS) software to demonstrate the benefits of the ECC204 TrustFLEX device in the asymmetric authentication use case, which establishes trust between host and client devices by creating a controlled ecosystem using a PKI. This use case is prevalent across a multitude of applications, from the accessory ecosystem of PCs to the hardware environment of data centers, to medical, consumer and industrial devices, ensuring modules added to a system are authentic.?

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Reference Guide: Secure Authentication ICs

When securing your embedded system, protecting the root of trust—a cryptographic identity key stored in a secure environment—is crucial. While keeping up with evolving security threats is necessary, a major challenge lies in the potential spoofing of cryptographic keys, which can compromise system integrity. This vulnerability can allow unauthorized or malicious users to gain control over your system, posing serious risks to your data and intellectual property (IP). Microchip's security ICs tackle this issue by providing a secure container that ensures optimal protection. These compact, low-power and versatile companion devices are compatible with a wide range of microcontrollers (MCUs), microprocessors (MPUs) and our CryptoAuthLib software support library. For more information, explore our reference guide: Secure Authentication ICs .

Defending Against Current and Future Threats with the Microchip Trust Anchor (TA101) CryptoAutomotive? Security IC with Todd Slack

In a recent Coffee Break episode, Microchip security expert @Todd Slack delved into the critical need for robust security in modern electronics?and how this is addressed with the latest addition to Microchip’s external hardware security module (HSM) offering. Shouldering cryptographic work on behalf of a host microcontroller, the Trust Anchor (TA101 ) CryptoAutomotive Security IC increases key sizes as compared to its predecessor to better defend against brute force attacks, while also speeding time to market, reducing risk through preprogrammed security, cutting overall system cost and providing the highest level of key protection. Todd also explains how the TA101 is specifically designed to support automotive security as well as data center and industrial applications, enabling OEMs to not only comply with current standards but also support the 256 bits of security strength needed for future applications.

Watch this episode of Coffee Break:

Navigating the Evolving Cybersecurity Landscape

Microchip understands there is no one-size-fits-all approach to cybersecurity. The needs of a data center will differ significantly from those of a medical facility, and each company must determine the processes and procedures best suited to its unique requirements. Some organizations may opt for in-house security teams, while others might find value in consulting with external experts—or a blend of both.

With our industry-leading expertise, comprehensive security portfolio and world-class Security Partner Program, Microchip is here to help our partners define what “enough” cybersecurity looks like for them. Our solutions include a wide range of authentication devices, trusted platform modules, crypto-enabled microcontrollers and microprocessors, software libraries, enhanced protocols and timing servers that form the backbone of zero-trust networks.

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