A new technology to secure integrated systems and circuits

The Laboratoire d'informatique, de robotique et de microélectronique de Montpellier (LIRMM) (CNRS/Université Montpellier 2) has recently developed a new technology capable of reducing data leakage from integrated circuits during electronic transactions by up to 95% in comparison with conventional logic circuits. The technology is currently the subject of a collaboration between LIRMM and PSI Electronics, a company that specializes in designing integrated circuits and systems(1), with a view to technology transfer. Now that hardware attacks(2) have become widespread, crytpology(3) has become an essential part of the design of digital systems that replace paper as information storage media. Such attacks affect the hardware components where programs are executed (such as chips, microprocessors, etc). They are recognized as being the most dangerous kind of attack, since they can be used to obtain, at little cost and without much skill, the keys of encryption algorithms, such as those used in smart cards. The new logic developed by LIRMM (Secure Triple Track Logic, STTL) is highly effective against hardware attacks and piracy of the integrated circuits in smart cards, SIM cards, processors, etc, that require both data authentication and confidentiality. It enables data leakage from integrated circuits to be reduced by up to 95% in comparison with conventional logic circuits.