Protecting integrated circuits (ICs) from piracy and theft throughout their lifecycle is a persistent and complex challenge. In order to safeguard against illicit piracy attacks, this work proposes a novel framework utilizing Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) called ICtokens, uniquely linked to their corresponding physical ICs. Each ICtoken contains comprehensive information, including authentication data, supply chain stage and status, ownership details, and other IC metadata, while also making provision for the secure integration of a logic-locking key. Designed to be publicly logged, ICtokens securely obscure metering information without compromising functionality. In addition, the ICtracker, a distributed ledger technology powered by a swift and energy-efficient consortium blockchain, is used to register and manage ICtokens and their respective owners, tracking all associated interactions. This robust ledger guarantees the traceability and auditing of ICtokens while simultaneously developing a product-level NFT at every transaction point within the supply chain. Consequently, a scalable framework is established, creating unique, immutable digital twins for ICs and IC-embedded products in the form of ICtokens and their transactions. This provides a robust and reliable supply chain trail back to the original IP owner, while also offering unprecedented assurance to consumers of IC-embedded products. The rich information contained within ICtokens facilitates more detailed audits than previous proposals for IC supply chain monitoring. A proof-of-concept, implemented as an open-source solution, ensures the ease of adoption of the proposed framework.
Tuukka Mustapää, H. Tunkkari, Jaan Taponen, L. Immonen · 8 authors
Digitalization and the rapid development of IoT systems has posed challenges for metrology because it has been comparatively slow in adapting to the new demands. That is why the digital transformation of metrology has become a key research and development topic all over the world including the development of machine-readable formats for digital SI (D-SI) and digital calibration certificates (DCCs). In this paper, we present a method for using these digital formats for metrological data to enhance the trustworthiness of data and propose how to use digital signatures and distributed ledger technology (DLT) alongside DCCs and D-SI to ensure integrity, authenticity, and non-repudiation of measurement data and DCCs. The implementation of these technologies in industrial applications is demonstrated with a use case of data exchange in a smart overhead crane. The presented system was tested and validated in providing security against data tampering attacks.
Open access
Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) and Hardware Security
Luís T. A. N. Brandão, Carlos Galhardo, René Peralta
Abstract Software-controlled measuring instruments used in commercial transactions, such as fuel dispensers and smart meters, are sometimes subject to “memory replacement” attacks. Cybercriminals replace the approved software by a malicious one that then tampers with measurement results, inflicting a financial loss to customers and companies. To mitigate such attacks, legal metrology systems often require regular device attestation, where an auditor checks that the device possesses (“knows”) the approved software. However, current attestation methods usually require the software to be known by the auditor, thus increasing the risk of inadvertent leakage or malicious theft of proprietary information, besides facilitating its malicious adulteration. We describe how this issue can be addressed in legal metrology systems by using zero-knowledge proofs of knowledge (ZKPoK). These proofs enable attestation of possession of approved software, while ensuring its confidentiality from the auditor. To further provide publicly verifiable evidence of freshness, each such proof can be related to a fresh random value from a public randomness beacon. This article presents the basic conceptual idea, while also discussing pitfalls that should be avoided.
Open access
Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) and Hardware Security
Sina Rafati Niya, Benjamin Jeffrey, Burkhard Stiller
The integration of Internet-of-Things (IoT) and Blockchains (BC) for trusted and decentralized approaches enabled modern use cases, such as supply chain tracing, smart cities, and IoT data marketplaces. For these it is essential to identify reliably IoT devices, since the producer-consumer trust is not guaranteed by a Trusted Third Party (TTP). Therefore, this work proposes a Know Your IoT device platform (KYoT), which enables the self-sovereign identification of IoT devices on the Ethereum BC. KYoT permits manufacturers and device owners to register and verify IoT devices in a self-sovereign fashion, while data storage security is ensured. KYoT deploys an SRAM-based (Static Random Access Memory) Physically Unclonable Function (PUF), which takes advantage of the manufacturing variability of devices' SRAM chips to derive a unique identifying key for each IoT device. The self-sovereign identification mechanism introduced is based on the ERC 734 and ERC 735 Ethereum identity standards.
Open access
2 source records
Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) and Hardware Security
This paper presents an all-passive negative feedback network to perform autonomous RF front-end beam-forming towards the direction of the incident RF beam. The beam-forming front-end block consists of a passive network for RF signal processing, voltage rectifiers, and voltage-controlled phase shifters, all of which are passive components and consume zero DC power. A proof-of-concept 4-element self-steering beam-forming block at 5GHz is implemented in a standard 130nm CMOS process and occupies an area of 4.1mm2. The measurements demonstrate that a high-quality 4-element array factor is successfully synthesized for the input progressive phase shift from -120° to +120°. At an input power Pin of -17dBm/element, the normalized array factor is -4.3dB/-3.2dB at +90°/-90° input progressive phase shift in the closed-loop operation, out-performing reported active self-steering beam-formers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of an all-passive network for front-end self-steering beam-forming with zero DC power.