The CryptoCape is the BeagleBone’s first dedicated security daughterboard

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The CryptoCape extends the hardware cryptographic abilities of the BeagleBone Black.

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With the insecurity of connected devices called into question time and time again, wouldn’t it be nice to take comfort in knowing that your latest IoT gadget was secure? A facet in which many Makers may overlook, Josh Datko recently sought out to find a better way to safeguard those designs, all without hindering the DIY spirit. The result? The CrytpoCape — which initially debuted on SparkFun last year — is a dedicated security daughterboard for the BeagleBone that easily adds encryption and authentication options to a project.

Generally speaking, cryptography offers a solution to a wide-range of problems such as authentication, confidentiality, integrity and non-repudiation, according to Datko. SparkFun notes that the $60 Atmel powered cape adds specialized ICs that perform various cryptographic operations, amplifying a critical hardware security layer to various BeagleBone projects.

The CyrptoCape is packed with hardware, including 256k EEPROM with a defaulted I2C address (plus write protection), a real-time clock (RTC) module, a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) for RSA encryption/decryption, an AES-128 encrypted EEPROM, an ATSHA204 CrypoAuthentication chip that performs SHA-256 and HMAC-25 and an Atmel ATECC108 tasked with the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA).

“You will also find an Atmel ATmega328P microcontroller and a large prototyping area available on the board. The ATmega is loaded with the Arduino Pro Mini 3.3V bootloader and has broken out most of the signals to surrounding pads,” its SparkFun page reveals.

Beyond that, each easy-to-use CryptoCape comes with pre-soldered headers making this board ready to be attached to your BeagleBone right out of the box. The only additional item a Maker will need to get the CryptoCape fully-functional is a CR1225 coin-cell battery.

Interested? You can check out the product’s official SparkFun page here. Meanwhile, those looking to learn more should also pick up a copy of Datko’s book entitled “BeagleBone for Secret Agents.” The third chapter of the resource is devoted to the CryptoCape where Makers will learn how to combine a fingerprint sensor, the on-board ATmega328P, and the crypto chips to make a biometric authentication system.

HackADay talks CryptoCape

The CryptoCape – which recently made its debut on SparkFun – is a dedicated security daughterboard for the BeagleBone designed in collaboration with Cryptotronix’s Josh Datko, which features Atmel’s Trusted Platform Module and SHA-256 Authenticator.

HackADay’s Brian Benchoff was lucky enough to catch up with Josh and asked him to break down how the nifty device works.

“If you need to add security to your project or you want to learn more about embedded security the CryptoCape adds encryption and authentication options,” the Maker added.

As its webpage notes, the CryptoCape functions as the BeagleBone’s first dedicated security daughterboard. Known as a BeagleBone Cape, the device attaches to the expansion headers of the BeagleBone and “adds specialized ICs that perform various cryptographic operations which will allow you to add a hardware security layer to your BeagleBone project.”

Previously discussed on Bits & Pieces, the CyrptoCape is packed with hardware, including 256k EEPROM with a defaulted I2C address (plus write protection), a real-time clock (RTC) module, a trusted platform module (TPM) for RSA encryption/decryption, an AES-128 encrypted EEPROM, an Atmel ATSHA204 authentication chip that performs SHA-256 and HMAC-25 and an Atmel ATECC108 that performs the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA).

The reasoning behind the developer’s choice to use the SHA-256 Authenticator? “It creates 256-bit keys that can be used in keyed Message Authentication Codes (MACs), or HMAC, to prove the authenticity of the device.” In addition, the authenticator allows the device to “implement an anti-counterfeiting system with the exchange of nonces and MACs between other embedded devices.”

If you are interested in boosting the security of your Maker project or learning more about the CryptoCape, you can head to the product’s official SparkFun page here.