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Delivering Mission-critical Performance & Security

Whether satellite, UAV, wearable or other equipment, today’s military hardware contains highly-complex microelectronics that include advanced processing, data storage, and data communications capabilities. In-theater personnel rely on these devices to successfully and safely complete their missions. High-performance memory and chip-to-chip interfaces are key to speeding the data between chips and systems critical to the functioning of a modern military.

The increase in connected devices has come with a commensurate growing risk to system security. Through side-channel attacks, adversaries can hack electronic devices and extract cryptographic keys, exposing sensitive information. Systems can be targeted by Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks, rendering entire groups of connected hardware ineffective and untrusted. Counterfeit chips can compromise the functioning of hardware or be used to steal vital information.

At Rambus, we understand the importance of delivering both the performance needed by military hardware and the means to ensure the data processed, stored and communicated remains secure. Our industry-leading interface and security IP solutions make possible faster, more secure, mission-critical electronic systems.

Download Combating Counterfeit Semiconductors in the Military Supply Chain

Combating Counterfeit Semiconductors in the Military Supply Chain

The counterfeit market for semiconductors is real, sizable and growing. The Senate Armed Services Committee found over 1,800 cases where counterfeit electronic components were introduced into U.S. military hardware including airplanes, helicopters and missiles. Counterfeit chips pose serious risk to military equipment and the service personnel who depend on that hardware to perform their mission.
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Easy Security Implementation

The CryptoManager platform is comprised of a tightly-integrated security ecosystem that enables simple and rapid integration into new and existing systems. The Root of Trust can be embedded as a secure processing core alongside the main CPU to provide robust endpoint security, while the secure Infrastructure manages the provisioning and management of cryptographic keys at the time of manufacture and in the field from chip-to-cloud.
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Secure OTA Communications

One of the major benefits of a connected military system is the ability to do in-field Over the Air (OTA) software and firmware updates regardless of where the system is located. This minimizes the need to pull equipment from the field and keeps vehicles and equipment in service longer. The CryptoManager platform provides a hardware root-of-trust embedded in the system, enabling military commands to verify that the OTA update is authentic. Additionally, the system utilizes personalized keys that are unique to each device to further ensure the integrity of the communication between the cloud and the hardware.
The Rising Need for Satellite Security

The Rising Need for Satellite Security

Beyond the traditional jamming and spoofing attacks, there is a growing and significant risk of a malicious attacker taking physical control of a satellite, decaying its orbit, exposing it to irreversible solar radiation damage, or maneuvering into other satellites in orbit. Satellites today contain highly complex embedded microelectronics systems, complete with processing, data storage, and data receiving/transmitting capabilities. Further, they are controlled by ground stations and computers in data centers. Because of this, they are susceptible to threats prevalent in cloud computing architectures, including insider threats, malicious downloads, etc.

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Preventing Side-channel Attacks

Electronic devices that use cryptography are susceptible to side-channel attacks, including SPA and DPA. Equipment captured by, or simply in close proximity to an adversary can potentially be hacked using low-cost, non-invasive methods that enable attackers to stealthily extract secret cryptographic keys used during secure device operations. Once the keys have been extracted, adversaries can easily gain unauthorized access to a device, decrypt or forge messages, steal identities, clone devices, create unauthorized signatures and perform additional unauthorized transactions.
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Securing Systems Before Deployment

In order to maintain in-theater security, military hardware should be examined prior to deployment for security flaws. ASICs, FGPAs, and all other semiconductors are all susceptible to side-channel attacks. In order to ensure that side-channel attacks will not be successful, a security analyst must have a method of testing the level of side-channel attack resistance by collecting power consumption or electromagnetic emission signals coming from a cryptographic device while it performs operations using secret keys. These collected signals can be examined using SPA and DPA testing to identify exposure of secret keys.
Introduction to Side-Channel Attacks eBook

Introduction to Side-Channel Attacks

Side-channel attacks, including simple power analysis and differential power analysis, conducted against electronic gear are relatively simple and inexpensive to execute. An attacker does not need to know specific implementation details of the cryptographic device to perform these attacks and extract keys. As all physical electronic systems routinely leak information, effective side-channel countermeasures should be implemented at the design stage to ensure protection of sensitive keys and data.
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Speeding System Performance

Military electronic systems are increasingly sophisticated and powerful requiring the latest advances in processing, storage and communications technology. High-speed memory and chip-to-chip (SerDes) interfaces ensure that data can moved between devices and systems at blazingly fast speeds. Building on 30 years of experience delivering innovations foundational to high-performance electronics, Rambus memory and interface solutions enable military hardware to accomplish their mission.
SerDes Signal Integrity Challenges at 28Gbps and Beyond

SerDes Signal Integrity Challenges at 28Gbps and Beyond

Maintaining signal integrity has become increasingly difficult as data rates moves past 28Gbps to 56Gbps and beyond. Up to 28Gbps rates, NRZ is the preferred and standardized encoding scheme which consists of 1’s and 0’s. NRZ is also referred to as PAM2 (pulse amplitude modulation, 2-level), due to its two amplitude levels which contain 1 bit of information in every symbol. With serial data rates hitting 56 Gb/s per channel, signal impairments caused by increased bandwidth has prompted the high-speed serial data industry to adopt PAM4, or 4-level pulse amplitude modulation.

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