10/18/11
Intrinsic-ID launches Confidentio Security Processing Unit (SPU) for mobile applications - World’s first integrated IP solution for secret key storage and AES based cryptography
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08/04/11
“Microsemi Announces Availability of Intrinsic-ID’s Security IP on its Flash-based cSoCs, FPGAs and Development Boards”
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05/25/11
Intrinsic-ID Selected as a Red Herring Top 100 Europe Tech Startup
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05/25/11
NXP and Intrinsic-ID demonstrate new security concept on NXP’s security chip
against cloning and counterfeiting
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05/13/11
Hardware Intrinsic Security: Fabless Perception and Awareness
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Recommended Technology Publications
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The security products of Intrinsic-ID are based on a technology called Hardware Intrinsic Security (HIS). Hardware Intrinsic Security consists of security primitives that exploit the unique properties of ICs to provide a secure and a trusted system base.

Modern ICs are unique due to the deep-submicron process variations manifested during manufacturing.  The most important variation is that of doping concentration and location. Because of this phenomenon the threshold voltages vary transistor per transistor. This uniqueness and the fact that these variations are very hard to control during manufacturing, make it possible to build so-called Physically Unclonable Functions (PUFs). PUFs are physical structures embedded in an IC which are very hard to clone due to their unique micro- or nano-scale properties that originate from the inherent deep- submicron process variations. PUFs are widely recognized as an important new, unclonable, security primitive. Intrinsic-IDs innovative, patented approach based on PUFs is used to secure electronic devices, making these devices forgery resistant.

The device uniqueness is shown through the behavior of standard available components on the IC such as SRAM or flip-flops. The different threshold voltages for the transistors in SRAM result in a cell-unique start-up behavior. Since this start-up behavior is not only unique for each IC but also stable, Intrinsic-ID was able to use this to develop HIS solutions for ICs. These solutions include secure key storage modules and unique identifiers for ICs. They are independent of the presence of any on-chip non-volatile memory, thereby making this technology very scalable and cost-effective.

Especially memory-based PUFs are at the core of Intrinsic-IDs technology. Their rigorously tested reliability provides a stable basis for regeneration of device unique numbers. The only requirement is the presence of uninitialized SRAM, no embedded non-volatile memory is needed. With this technology, keys can be protected without their value being stored. Since the keys are not present when the device is switched off, a very high security level can be achieved, even on very small technology nodes.

The use of only standard technology components has several advantages. First of all, implementation can be done at very low cost. Intrinsic-IDs technology requires no additional mask steps, charge pump, embedded non-volatile memory or any analog components, resulting in a very flexible and scalable design, which can reduce costs dramatically. Moreover, it takes a very small on-chip area, resulting in a million-dollar save on mass production compared to using other technologies. Another advantage of using only standard components is that the technology is ready to use early in the development of a new process node. Therefore it improves time-to-market which will, besides reduced costs, also lead to getting ahead of your competitors. And because there are no components required that can introduce risks with respect to production errors, your outsourced production is more stable and less error-sensitive, reducing the need for test-silicon, saving time and money.

Based on the HIS and patented PUF technology, Intrinsic-ID has developed a range of security products. For secure key storage, Quiddikey has been developed. A solution to store your key without it being present when the device is switched off. Also a random number generator, iRNG, will be available soon.  The Quiddicard solution provides secure key generation as well as protection against overproduction, giving you back control over outsourced production volumes. An AES based cipher module that combines secure key generation and storage with encryption, qCipher, will also be available soon.

Intrinsic-ID Inc.
2033 Gateway Place, Suite 500
San Jose, CA 95110
USA
+1 408-573-6186

Intrinsic-ID B.V. Headquarters
High Tech Campus 9
5656 AE Eindhoven
The Netherlands
+31 40 851 90 20