The “Key” to Reality

If we wanted to reduce the definition of authentication to its most Zen-like simplicity, we could say authentication is “keeping things real.” To keep something real you need to have some sort of confirmation of its identity, as confirmation is the key (so to speak).

The equation could be as follows:

Identification + Confirmation = Authentication

Confirming or validating the identity of a document, item, data, etc. is what keeping things real is all about. Some of the “things” that can be authenticated with cryptographic methods are mobile, medical, and consumer accessories; embedded firmware; industrial network nodes; and sensors, among others. Soon IoT and vehicle-to-vehicle communication will join in.

Authentication is far more important than many people realize, especially in our growing hyper-connected world that now links billions of people (and things). In cyber-land, authentication is accomplished by deploying cryptographic keys and algorithms. Keys are fundamental to keeping things real—so that is what we mean by “the key to reality.”

There are two primary types of Authentication: Symmetric and Asymmetric. Atmel offers secure key storage devices for both types. These two important techniques take their names directly from whether the keys on each side (i.e. the host and client sides) are the same or different.

Symmetric Authentication

If the same secret key is used on the client and on the host, then the application is symmetric, just like the name suggests. Both of the symmetric keys must be protected because if either one gets out then the security will be lost. This is perhaps analogous to having two sets of car keys. Meaning, losing either one makes it easy for a thief to drive away with your car. So, the secret keys must stay secret.

Symmetric Keys are the Same

The identical keys on the host and client are used in mathematical calculations to test the reality of client devices. A very common mathematical calculation that is used is a hash function based upon a cryptographic algorithm (such as SHA). A hash operation produces a hash value (also called “digest”), which is a number of a specified length that is usually smaller than the numbers used as the inputs. A hash is a one-way operation, which means that the inputs cannot be recreated from the hash value.

With symmetric authentication a typical process is to challenge the client device to be authenticated by sending it a random number. The client then puts the random number challenge and a secret key into the hash algorithm to create a hash value, which is known as the “response.” Each challenge will generate a unique response.

It should be noted that cryptographers call a hash of a random number with a secret key a “Message Authentication Code” or “MAC.” The diagram below illustrates this process. Because the host key is the same on the host and client sides, the exact same calculation can run on the host. Once that happens, the hash values (“MACs”) from each can be compared. If the hash values match, the client is considered to be real. You can see that symmetric authentication is really a simple process, but it is loaded with mathematical elegance. Now let’s look at asymmetric authentication.

Hashing a Random Number with a Secret Key

 

Asymmetric Authentication.

Asymmetric keys are presented in public-private pairs. More specifically, the public and private keys are related to each other via a mathematical algorithm. An example would be the Elliptic Curve Cryptography (or “ECC”) algorithm. Only the private key has to be securely stored. Because the keys are different, asymmetric authentication cannot use the same calculate-and-compare process as symmetric.

Asymmetric requires more complicated techniques such as making digital signatures that are verified for authenticity (this is called “Sign-Verify”). An example of asymmetric authentication using ECC algorithms is Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (or “ECDSA”).  A major benefit of the Atmel ATECC108A device is that it can be used to easily implement ECDSA sign-verify. (The steps of ECDSA are very interesting, but they will be covered in a separate article). Note that an important trade-off between symmetric and asymmetric authentication is the speed of operation. For example, authentication time for the Atmel ATSHA204A is 12ms (typical) for symmetric versus more than a second for many microcontrollers to execute an asymmetric ECDSA operation.

Getting back to the keys:   The secret keys must stay secret. If keys are the keys to authentication (i.e. reality),  then secure storage of the secret keys is the key to SECURE authentication. And that is the real point here.

So the, how is secure storage implemented? The best way is to use hardware key storage devices that can withstand attacks that try to read the key(s). Atmel CryptoAuthentication products such as the ATSHA204A, ATECC108A  and ATAES132 implement hardware-based storage, which is much stronger than software based storage because of the defense mechanisms that only hardware can provide against attacks. Secure storage in hardware beats storage in software every time. Adding secure key storage is an inexpensive, easy, and ultra-secure way to protect firmware, software and hardware products from cloning, counterfeiting, hacking, as well as other malicious threats.

For more details on Atmel CryptoAuthentication products, please view the links above  or the introduction page CryptoAuthentication. Future Bits & Pieces articles will take in an in-depth look at how symmetric and asymmetric authentication is accomplished.         

Hardware key storage stops the bleeding

The Heartbleed security bug is a really big deal, especially given today’s hyper-connected, information obsessed society. This nasty bug, which has been characterized as “catastrophic” by industry gurus, permits anyone on the Internet to access the memory of systems using various versions of OpenSSL software. This is ironic since that very software was specifically designed to protect data.

Nevertheless, Heartbleed exposes secret keys used for authentication and encryption, which are the two primary foundations of how security is generally ensured. By exposing keys Heartbleed thus exposes actual data, user names, and user passwords to anyone. This is virtually everything. Ouch!   Attackers (i.e. hackers, cybercriminals, spies, state-sponsored electronic armies, and others with malevolent intent) can observe and steal data without a trace, which is virtually the literal industry definition of the term “man-in-the-middle” attack.

The threat that Heartbleed represents has rightly gained widespread attention. Fortunately, such attention has stimulated a major market reaction and lead to whole scale changing of user passwords, proliferation of patches, and other fixes. It has also brought the need for more extensive code testing into the open. Heartbleed and other major security revelations are making people look at security much more seriously, which also extends to embedded systems.

Frankly, it is about time. Embedded system insecurity gained major notoriety recently with the revelation that commercial WiFi routers have old and buggy firmware that can be used as a back door into home and commercial networks. Such loopholes were in fact used by a criminal organization in Eastern Europe to steal cash. The risk was amplified by the revelation that mischievous “agencies” tasked with collecting and processing information without permission can exploit the vulnerabilities at will.

Embedded system firmware insecurity affects individuals, institutions, governments, and corporations—which is pretty much everyone. Highly respected market researchers have noted that bad behavior and bad actors are running rampant. For example, the number of active threat groups being tracked has risen to over 300, which is more than 400% higher than in 2011. Nation-states have become hyper-active in cyber-espionage and hacking. This is because it is now possible to literally upload damage to a target, which is kind of a science fiction scenario come true.

In the same vein, secret information is easily downloaded, especially with security vulnerabilities from Heartbleed, router back-doors, and others. More than 95% of networks have become compromised in some way, and directed attacks will only get worse as mobile platforms continue to expand worldwide. An unnerving figure is that vulnerable systems placed on the Internet are being compromised now in less than 15 minutes. That is not really a surprise given the wildly disproportionate cost / ”benefit” of cyber meddling, which is devilishly tempting to malicious operators.

The security situation is extremely complicated for embedded systems because embedded firmware is highly fragmented, difficult to update, hard to track, often obsolete, hard to access, and employs a wide range of processors and code languages. The router loopholes mentioned above are in fact a direct expression of the vulnerabilities endemic to embedded systems and the severe damage those vulnerabilities can cause downstream. It is now clear that embedded system vulnerabilities affect everyone. So, the question becomes, “What can be done to increase security in embedded systems?”

As Heartbleed and cyber attacks have illustrated, encryption and authentication keys must be protected. There is no other option. Cryptography may be mathematically and systematically ultra-detailed and uber-complicated, but the most important and fundamental security concept is beyond simple: namely, “Keep the secret keys secret.”  The best way to do that is to lock the secret keys in protected hardware devices.

Hardware key storage beats software key storage every time, which is one of the “key” lessons of the recent vulnerability revelations. But how does an embedded system manufacturer ensure their products are secure and protected from attack? Fortunately, the solution is simple, available, and cost effective, and that is to use hardware key storage devices such as Atmel’s ATSHA204A, ATECC108A  and ATAES132.

These products are all designed to secure authentication by providing a hardware-based storage location with an impressive range of proven physical defense mechanisms, as well as secure cryptographic algorithms and processes. Go to the links above for more details or the introduction page CryptoAuthentication.

Future Bits & Pieces posts will describe the different types of authentication and the various steps that the devices and associated processors implement.

What is authentication and why should you care?

Authentication means making sure that something is real, just like it sounds.

In the real world, authentication has many uses. One of the most recognizable is anti-counterfeiting, which means validating the authenticity of a removable, replaceable, or consumable client. Examples include system accessories, electronic daughter cards and spare parts. Of course, authentication is also employed to validate software and firmware modules, along with memory storage elements.

Another important and growing role for authentication is protecting firmware or media by validating that code stored in flash memory at boot time is the real item – effectively helping to prevent the loading of unauthorized modifications. Authentication also encrypts downloaded program files that can only be loaded by an intended user, or uniquely encrypt code images that are accessible on a single, specific system. Simply put, authentication of firmware and software effectively makes control of code usage a reality, which is important for IP protection, brand equity maintenance and revenue enhancement.

Storing secure data, especially keys, for use by crypto accelerators in unsecured microprocessors is a fundamental method of providing real security in a system. Checking user passwords via authentication means validation – without allowing the expected value to become known, as the process maps memorable passwords to a random number and securely exchanges password values with remote systems. Authentication facilitates the easy and secure execution of these actions.

Examples of real-world benefits are quite numerous and include preserving revenue streams from consumables, protecting intellectual property (IP), keeping data secure and restricting unauthorized access.

But how does a manufacturer ensure that the authorization process is secure and protected from attack? With hardware key storage devices such as Atmel’s ATSHA204A, ATECC108A and ATAES132 – which are all designed to secure authentication by providing a hardware-based storage location with a range of proven physical defense mechanisms, as well as secure cryptographic algorithms and processes.

The bottom line? Hardware key storage beats software key storage every time – because the key to security is literally the cryptographic key. Locking these keys in protected hardware means no one can get to them. Put another way, a system is not secure if the key is not secure – and the best way to secure a key is in hardware. It is that simple.

Future Bits & Pieces posts will explore various methods of authentication such as asymmetric and symmetric, the ways in which Atmel’s key storage devices operate, specific authentication use models and other security related topics.

Designing industrial sensors with Atmel AVR: Part I

Industrial sensors are typically tasked with detecting, positioning or identifying an object or rotating axis in a factory-automated system. Industrial sensors utilize a variety of technologies, including inductive, magneto-resistive, capacitive, optical, pressure and ultrasonic.

Key design considerations include:

• Non-volatile storage for calibration values
• Small PCB size
• Accurate analog measurement
• Arithmetic for signal conditioning
• Digital communication interface for new emerging standards such as IO-Link
• Optional analog output signal
• Long product life time
• Optional hardware authentication products for secure identification and authenticated confidential communications

“Atmel’s versatile AVR family of microcontrollers enables designers to meet the needs of a variety of sensor applications. First off, there is the small form factor, down to DNF 2x2x0,5 mm. We also provide on-chip true EEPROM, ADC with differential measurement/optional gain stage and internal analog reference voltage remains stable in changing temperatures,” an Atmel engineering rep told Bits & Pieces.

“Meanwhile, efficient 8-/16-bit CPU minimizes power consumption. Additional key specs include serial communication interfaces with Direct Memory Access (DMA) support, internal digital-to-analog converter (DAC), pulse width modulation (PWM) and CryptoAuthentication support, the latter offering a secure vault for root secrets (keys) and secure mechanisms for authentication.”

Interested in learning more about designing industrial sensors with Atmel AVR? You can check out our extensive device breakdown here. Also, be sure to check back tomorrow for part two of this series for an in-depth look at an Atmel-powered sensor device reference design.

Building Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) with Atmel tech

A Human Machine Interface, or HMI, typically includes a number of components required to signal and control the state of industrial automation equipment. These interface products can range from a basic LED status indicator to a 20-inch TFT panel with a touchscreen interface.

Unsurprisingly, HMI applications require mechanical robustness and resistance to water, dust, moisture, a wide range of temperatures and, in some environments, secure communication with Ingress Protection (IP) ratings up to IP65, IP67 and IP68.

We at Atmel offer a versatile and extensive portfolio of devices that can be used to design various aspects of a human machine interface.

“For example, our unique capacitive QTouch technology, SAM9 microprocessors and CryptoAuthentication devices enable designers to meet the above-mentioned requirements and more with an optimized BOM,” an Atmel engineering rep told Bits & Pieces.

“Plus, Atmel tech supports high source and sink output IO capabilities up to 60mA for direct drive of LEDs, with high-speed PWM units enabling LED dimming and screen back-lighting. And due to its superior field penetration, our touch technology operates through 6mm thick, non-conductive surfaces.”

The engineering rep also noted that the optimized signal-to-noise ratio of the Atmel QMatrix touch technology helps make the design immune to water, moisture, or dust – enabling operators to use gloves. In addition, Atmel’s capacitive touch tech eases design of full hermetic or sealed products, while power efficiency works to minimize heat dissipation.

“It should also be noted that Atmel’s touch spread spectrum frequency implementation helps designers meet electro-magnetic emission requirements,” the engineering rep continued. “And that is why our industrial microprocessor product portfolio with integrated LCD, combined with the our QTouch technology, are the ideal candidates for an engineer’s next control panel design. On the security side, Atmel’s CryptoAuthentication family of hardware security devices provides cost effective solutions for authenticated and encrypted communications between HMI and industrial equipment.”

Specific examples of Atmel tech powering HMI devices? Well, LED indicators and mechanical switches are a leading HMI for industrial applications – with Atmel’s AVR and AT91SAM microcontrollers offering a variety of benefits. Similarly, Atmel’s capacitive touch technology for HMI helps protect industrial interface modules, while increasing design flexibility and enhancing UI look and feel. Meanwhile, Atmel’s industrial control panels with LCD Displays provides HMI operators with an efficient, flexible way to monitor and control increasingly complex automated processes, with hardware security products protecting firmware integrity from tampering to assure continuous and reliable performance.

“Atmel HMI solutions help reduce board space and enable a lower BOM, simply because they do not require a separate LCD controller chip, or an external resistive touchscreen chip, with standard DDR2 external memory providing lower cost and longer availability,” the engineering rep added.

“Last, but certainly not least, Atmel solutions also provide high performance with high-speed communication and are available with ready-to-use software support. Of course, an evaluation kit is available for each Atmel SAM9 with free Linux distribution and Microsoft Windows Embedded CE BSP.”

Interested in learning more about Atmel’s tech portfolio for powering HMI devices? A complete device breakdown is available here.

Designing in-home display units with Atmel tech

In-home display (IHD) units play a critical role in helping customers reduce their energy usage by providing relevant stats in real-time. Indeed, IHD units are typically designed to acquire and display information via a sensor with built-in RF and/or PLC. A more effective method? Transmitting information from a smart meter using a home area network.

“IHD units vary in complexity, from simple wall-mounted segment LCD displays, up to battery-operated products with color TFT displays and touchscreens,” an Atmel engineering rep told Bits & Pieces. “Advanced IHDs can display not only consumption information, but energy consumption advice from energy providers. They can also support a variety of additional functions such as home automation.”

To be sure, IHD units typically support displays, connectivity via USB and RF, as well as low power and touch buttons or screens for a fully interactive user interface (UI). And that is why Atmel offers a wide range of versatile microcontrollers (MCUs) for IHDs, from entry-level 8-bit AVRs to a sophisticated ARM9 core with embedded LCD graphics display controllers.

“In short, Atmel’s MCUs help facilitate flexible touch solutions, from buttons and wheels to sophisticated touch-screens, all providing support for a wide range of user interface features and capabilities,” the Atmel engineering rep explained.

“Meanwhile, power line communications (PLC) system-on-a-chip (SoC) solutions with full digital implementation deliver best-in-class sensitivity, high performance and high temperature stability. Plus, our CryptoAuthentication lineup provide a cost-effective, easy-to-implement security solution that is critical for wireless communication between meters and  IHD units.”

In terms of power efficiency, Atmel offers a number of advanced capabilities, including 1 µA watchdog and brown-out, picoPower tech for extended battery life, an event system to allow measurement while CPU is in SLEEP mode, support for true 1.6V operation, low-power RF transceivers for connectivity and the lowest power 32 kHz crystal oscillator (650nA RTC).

“In-house display units can range from a basic segment LCD to a more sophisticated color TFT. Depending on the display choice drivers and required  processing power, the primary microcontroller can be either an entry-level 8- or 32-bit MCU, scaling up to a more powerful embedded MPU with on-chip TFT LCD controller,” the engineering rep added.

“As products become more sophisticated, so will the UI. Atmel touch technology provides robust support for state of the art features such as capacitive touch buttons or a full touchscreen. The communications within the IHD depend on the implemented architecture of the HAN (typically RF or PLC). Of course, wireless connectivity can also be supported via Secure Digital Input Output (SDIO) cards.”

Interested in learning more about designing in-home display units with Atmel tech? Be sure to check out our extensive device breakdown here.

A closer look at Atmel’s Xplained kits

Earlier this summer, Bits & Pieces took readers on a brief virtual tour of Atmel’s Xplained Pro kits. Today, we want to familiarize our readers with Atmel’s Xplained evaluation kits for our extensive lineup of 8- and 32-bit microcontrollers (MCUs).

“Essentially, Atmel’s Xplained lineup consists of a series of low-cost MCU boards to help devs evaluate and demonstrate product features and capabilities for different Atmel microcontroller families,” an Atmel engineering rep told Bits & Pieces. “In addition, a rich selection of example projects and code drivers are provided in Atmel Studio, while code functionality is easily added by pulling in additional drivers and libraries from the Atmel Software Framework.

The Atmel Xplained series also includes a range of add-on boards that can be stacked on top of the MCU boards to create platforms for specific application development. This means a wide range of add-on boards is available, including inertial pressure and temperature sensors, ZigBee RF and Cryptographic authentication.

However, it should be noted that due to difference in features such as pin count or memory size, some add-on boards may not work with all MCU boards, so be sure to look at the the table below which summarizes recommended combinations.

On the X/MEGA side, Xplained kits include the XMEGA-E5 (ATxmega32E5) , XMEGA-C3 (ATxmega384C3), XMEGA-A3BU (ATxmega256A3BU), MEGA-1284P (ATmega1284), XMEGA-A1 (ATxmega128A1) and the XMEGA-B1 (ATxmega128B1 and LCD controller).

Additional Xplained kits include the UC3-A3 (AT32UC3A3256), the SAM4S (SAM4S ARM Cortex-M4), CryptoAuthentication add-on (ATSHA204) , UC3-L0 (picoPower AT32UC3L064), Temperature Sensor Xplained (add-on) and the Sensors Xplained (add-on).

tinyAVR: Balancing performance and efficiency in a small package

The AVR tour continues! Our first stop? Atmel’s AVR UC3, an MCU built around high-performance 32-bit AVR architecture and optimized for highly integrated applications. Next up? The AVR XMEGA, an MCU designed for real-time performance, high integration and ultra-low power. Our third stop was Atmel’s stalwart megaAVR, which neatly balances both capacity and performance.

And today we are getting up close and personal with Atmel’s tinyAVR lineup. As one can infer from its name, the tinyAVR series is optimized for applications requiring performance, power efficiency and ease of use in a small package – with the smallest tinyAVR measuring only 1.5mm x 1.4mm. As expected, all tinyAVR devices are based on the same architecture and compatible with other AVR devices. Engineers can employ the tinyAVR as a single chip solution in small systems – or use them to deliver glue logic and distributed intelligence in larger systems.

“Integrated ADC, EEPROM memory and brown-out detector allows devs to build applications without adding external components, while tinyAVR offers flash memory and on-chip debug for fast, secure, cost-effective in-circuit upgrades that significantly cuts product time to market,” an Atmel engineering rep told Bits & Pieces. “Simply put, the tinyAVR offers an optimized combination of miniaturization, processing power, analog performance and system-level integration.”

It should be noted that the tinyAVR is the most compact device in the AVR family and the only device capable of operating at just 0.7V. Whereas most microcontrollers require 1.8V or more to operate, the tinyAVR (with boost regulator) boosts the voltage from a single AA or AAA battery into a stable 3V supply to power an entire application. Plus, tinyAVR designs can be coupled with Atmel’s CryptoAuthentication device for an added level of security against hackers and cloners.

Additional key features include:

• Capacitive Touch – Atmel’s QTouch Library makes it easier for engineers to embed capacitive-touch button, slider and wheel functionality into general-purpose Atmel AVR microcontroller applications. The royalty-free QTouch Library provides several library files for each device and supports different numbers of touch channels, enabling both flexibility and efficiency in touch application.
• Fast and code efficient – The AVR CPU gives the tinyAVR devices the same high performance as Atmel’s larger AVR devices and several times the processing power of any similarly-sized competitor. Flexible and versatile, they feature high code efficiency that allows them fit a broad range of applications.
• High integration – Each pin has multiple uses as I/O, ADC and PWM. Even the reset pin can be reconfigured as an I/O pin. tinyAVR also features a Universal Serial Interface (USI) which can be used as SPI, UART or TWI.

Interested in learning more? Be sure to check out our full tinyAVR portfolio here.

A closer look at Atmel’s ATECC108

Atmel recently expanded its CryptoAuthentication portfolio with the ATECC108 solution, an elliptical curve cryptography (ECC) product. As Atmel Product Marketing Manager Alex Dean notes, there are two basic encryption methods available on the security market today: symmetric and asymmetric key based algorithms.

“In the context of using cryptography for authentication, symmetric key encryption uses an identical key on both a host and its client, while asymmetric key encryption employs two related keys (public and private),” Dean told Bits & Pieces.

“Perhaps most importantly, asymmetric key encryption eliminates the security risk of key sharing, as the private key is never exposed. Essentially, a message that is signed using the private key can only be verified by applying the same algorithm via a matching public key.”

Symmetric key algorithms are significantly faster computationally than asymmetric algorithms, as the encryption process is less complicated. As such, symmetric key solutions like Atmel’s ATSHA204 are quite versatile for a wide variety of use cases, including mobile items (smartphones, tablets), medical devices, industrial automation and smart energy, as well as any application where host-client authentication is needed. In addition to its asymmetric key attributes, the ATECC108 also performs symmetric key algorithm and is backward compatible to ATSHA204.

So when is an asymmetric key solution most appropriate? According to Dean, a complex medical platform (static) can best illustrate the need for an asymmetric key approach – specifically when such a system does not share the same key with an accessory (dynamic).

“When it comes to medical care, doctors and nurses want to ensure an accessory connected to hospital equipment is legitimate and not a cheap knockoff clone which can potentially endanger the lives of patients under their care. We know static systems are stringently reviewed by the FDA – and a hardware modification to implement security often triggers a lengthy re-approval process. However, their accessories and attachments, such as probes or catheters, are typically manufactured for one-time use and therefore subject to a different and sometimes less stringent regulation,” he explained.

“So an asymmetric key solution such as Atmel’s ATECC108 is most appropriate here. It is not necessary to modify any hardware on the static system to implement a public key, which by definition does not have to be protected. Inserting an ATECC108 to the accessory to protect the private key needed for authentication does not necessarily trigger re-certification due to different regulations that regulate the dynamic system – especially when the modification could be considered administrative (such as authentication), rather than medical. In short, an asymmetric key approach enables a medical equipment manufacture to quickly modify a medical system to ensure a host will only function with a genuine OEM accessory or peripheral manufactured by an authorized third party supplier. Remember, software is quite easy to compromise, so you need to protect the private key in the accessory or peripheral with ironclad hardware like the ATECC108.”

Similarly, since the public key on the static system does not require protection, systems already deployed in the field can be easily retrofitted with such a key via a simple administrative software upgrade involving the host system – a strategy that neatly avoids a time consuming FDA re-certification for a static hospital platform.

“Plus, the ECC algorithm (used by ATECC108) is far more efficient than RSA, which requires 3,000 bits to accomplish what the ECC can do with 256 bits. The RSA is slower, because it has to process such a large key size. That is why we see the industry shifting towards an ECC approach,” added Dean.

Lastly, in addition to the traditional UDFN and SOIC packages, the ATECC108 also offers a three-lead contact package that does not require a PCB and can be laminated directly to an item.

Secure personalization service safeguards your IP

Written by Steve Jarmusz

Afraid of having your IP/firmware stolen?  Don’t want unauthorized accessories in the marketplace taking revenue that’s rightfully yours and potentially damaging your brand equity?  Security concerns are serious and worth addressing, but what if you don’t have the expertise in cryptography or infrastructure?

Well, one turnkey solution that does not require security expertise are Atmel ATSHA204 CryptoAuthentication™ ICs.  Atmel provides a personalization service to customers of CryptoAuthentication products. This personalization service (configuring the CryptoAuthentication device for a specific application) is performed at final package test. Before this service can be performed, Atmel solicits secrets from the customer while never knowing the value of those secrets. The secrets are received from the customer encrypted and stay encrypted until they are requested by the test program at final package test. Because of the transport key mechanism innate to the ATSHA204 silicon, these secrets are even encrypted at the probe tips while they are being placed into the secure memory of the ATSHA204.

How does Atmel protect the secrets solicited from customers? We use a SafeNet Hardware Security Module (HSM), which are ranked #1 in worldwide markets. HSMs provide the highest performing, most secure transaction security solutions for enterprise and government organizations. They are used in banking, military, and other government applications where information security is paramount.

SafeNet, Hardware Safety Module

Atmel sends customers that are going to use the Secure Personalization Service the public key of a RSA key pair that was generated and stored on the HSM. Atmel also provides a template that represents the CryptoAuthentications memory contents and an encryption utility. Once the customer fills in this template with their specific data, it is encrypted with an AES key generated by the encryption utility. After AES encryption, the AES key is encrypted with the public RSA key and then deleted.

The encryption utility subsequently packages the AES encrypted template with customer secrets, the encrypted AES key and various other non-encrypted data used for data integrity into a file that is sent to Atmel. This file then is placed on the HSM system at locations performing the final ATSHA204 package tests. When the tester has determined that the ATSHA204 has passed all functional and electrical tests, that file is sent into the HSM for decryption. It is here that the secrets are placed into the ATSHA204 device’s secure memory. Both device and the SafeNet HSM are tamper proof. If a physical attack or tamper is detected, all data contents are destroyed.