Security chip for replacing smartcard?

Hi,

in our design we would like to replace a smartcard by a kind of security chip or security module. The chip has to provide:

- unique ID / serial number

- secure key management

The idea is to store data on the device in a way that they cannot be read (hence encryption) or copied to a similar device (hence unique ID) without the particular security chip being involved. The actual data are some kB only, so if there is internal persistent memory on the security chip it cold be utilized, but it is not a requirement. External flash memory or EEPROM is sufficient. The memory does not need to be controlled by the security chip, since on the device there is a powerful microcontroller that can control the chip and the memory as well.

So far I did not find any useful information what chip could be used for this.

Any ideas or hints?

TIA, Matthias

Reply to
Matthias
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A secured micro can easily satisfy your requirements.

The best security is not to publize the implementations; therefore, you will find very little information on the best.

Reply to
linnix

[...]

Could you please give a concrete example (model or vendor)?

Security by obscurity? I do not think so... Anyway, I am not primarily interested in internal implementation details, since I do not want to develop such chip myself. I am rather looking for a chip that can satisfy our needs and that can be bought in numbers at reasonable prices.

Maybe there is a "smarcard chip" that does not have a physical smart card to be plugged in, but instead contains the logic and functionality of a smartcard internally. Do you know something like this?

Thanks, Matthias

Reply to
Matthias

Would an iButton be any use?

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Regards, Richard.

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for Cortex-M3, ARM7, ARM9, HCS12, H8S, MSP430 Microblaze, Coldfire, AVR, x86, 8051 & PIC18 * * * *

Reply to
FreeRTOS.org

Maxim makes a wide ranging line of the type of products you appear to want.

The only issue I have with Maxim is - it's Maxim. They still kill me on lead times and delivery.

Cheers

PeteS

Reply to
PeteS

A SECURE micro is not the same thing as a SECURED micro. Unless the part is specifically designed for secure storage, you can't say it's going to satisfy requirements.

The best security is one where complete publication of implementation details took place some time ago, and nobody has detected significant security holes.

Reply to
larwe

[...]
[...]

Thanks, that was a good pointer.

The iButtons seem to be very close to our requirements, but unfortunately they have a case that does not allow soldering them on the PCB. One could consider a kind of socket, but I do not think that is the way we will choose.

The other secure micros (DS5250 etc) would be fine if they had a fixed unique ID.

So the search continues...

Thanks, Matthias

Reply to
Matthias

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Infineoh have chips exactly like you want: Trrusted Platform Module

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Atmel have the same type of devices.

regards bis

Reply to
bis

There are sockets available:

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but as you say you cannot solder them directly.

Regards, Richard.

formatting link
for Cortex-M3, ARM7, ARM9, HCS12, H8S, MSP430 Microblaze, Coldfire, AVR, x86, 8051 & PIC18 * * * *

Reply to
FreeRTOS.org

All iButtons are also available as chips. Look at:

DS28E01-100

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DS2432
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Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Frank-Christian Krügel

Reply to
Frank-Christian Kruegel

That's an even better pointer, thanks! This seems to be what I was looking for.

If there are still other options I would like to know, though, to be able to compare prices and capabilities.

Thanks, Matthias

Reply to
Matthias

This begs one question, and suggests one answer.

The question is: why on earth would you want to do that?

The answer is: you seem to be looking for a TPM. That's exactly the kind of chip you're after, and it's in the process of becoming a standard part on PC mainboards.

--
Hans-Bernhard Broeker (broeker@physik.rwth-aachen.de)
Even if all the snow were burnt, ashes would remain.
Reply to
Hans-Bernhard Broeker

To do what: Replacing the smart card or requesting those features? ;-)

The answer to the first one is mainly "reducing total costs" (before there is another question: to elaborate this I would have to go into details I do not want to disclose here).

To answer the second one, I recommend the maxim application note 3675

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where the basic concept is described.

No. If a TPM was the most cost-efficient and easy-to-implement solution for our requirements, then I would consider using a TPM. But as it seems, that is not the case...

Regards, Matthias

Reply to
Matthias

you lazy asshole.

You lazy f**king asshole. What a jerk!

Reply to
Bryan Hackney

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