Cryptographic circuit with voltage-based tamper detection and response circuitry

• US 20070255966A1
• Filed: 05/01/2006
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hadzic, Nihad, Condorelli, Vincenzo, Gotze, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US11/416,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20070255966A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/194
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/87 by means of encapsulation, e.g. for integrated circuits

Abstract

A cryptographic circuit with voltage island-based tamper detection and response is disclosed. The circuit includes a voltage island having at least one monitoring circuit and a first storage area for security parameters. The circuit also includes a second storage area for key storage and management logic to tamper the security parameters upon detection of an environmental failure.

Claims

1. A cryptographic circuit with voltage island-based tamper detection and response, said circuit comprising:

a voltage island having at least a first monitoring circuit;

a first storage area for security parameters;

a second storage area for key storage; and

management logic to tamper said security parameters upon detection of an environmental failure by said first monitoring circuit.

2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein said first storage area and said second storage area are co-located on a secure data storage unit.

3. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising a second voltage island having at least a second monitoring circuit.

4. The circuit of claim 3, wherein said second monitoring circuit is a temperature sensor.

5. The circuit of claim 3, wherein said second monitoring circuit is a voltage sensor.

6. The circuit of claim 1, wherein said first monitoring circuit is a voltage sensor.

7. The circuit of claim 1, wherein said first monitoring circuit is a temperature sensor.

8. A cryptographic circuit with voltage island-based tamper detection and response, said circuit comprising:

a first voltage island hosting a first monitoring sensor and a cryptographic and system function unit; and

a second voltage island hosting a second monitoring sensor, a secure data storage unit holding one or more security parameters, a third monitoring sensor, and control logic to tamper said security parameters in said secure data storage unit upon detection of an environmental failure by one of said first monitoring sensor, said second monitoring sensor and said third monitoring sensor.

9. The circuit of claim 8, wherein said first monitoring sensor, said second monitoring sensor, said third monitoring sensor and said secure data storage unit connect to said control logic.

10. The circuit of claim 8, wherein said cryptographic and system function unit connects to said secure data storage unit.

11. The circuit of claim 8, wherein said first monitoring sensor is a voltage sensor, said second monitoring sensor is a temperature sensor, and said third monitoring sensor is a voltage sensor.

12. The circuit of claim 11, wherein said first monitoring sensor and said third monitoring sensor are power-optimized ring oscillators.

13. A circuit for voltage island-based tamper detection, said circuit comprising:

a voltage island residing on a larger Integrated circuit chip, said chip comprising

at least one monitoring circuit,

a storage area for secret data, and

management logic to zeroize said secret data upon detection of tampering or environmental failure.

14. The circuit of claim 13, wherein said monitoring circuit further comprises logic for communicating said environmental failure or tampering to said management logic.

15. The circuit of claim 14, wherein said management logic further comprises logic to zeroize through erasure caused by active overwriting said secret data stored in said storage area based on one or more items of information received from said monitor circuit

16. The circuit of claim 15, wherein said monitoring circuit is comprised of one or more of the set comprising a temperature monitor, a voltage monitor, a frequency oscillator monitor, a physical penetration monitor, an off-island monitor, and an off-chip monitor.

17. The circuit of claim 16, wherein said secret data in storage area is comprised of one or more of the set of a symmetric cryptographic key, an asymmetric cryptographic key, a digital signature, a hash value, a polynomial, a linear feedback shift register value, a one-time pad value, or a critical security parameter.

18. The circuit of claim 17, wherein said voltage island is constantly powered regardless of whether power is supplied to a remainder of said chip.

19. The circuit of claim 18, wherein said management logic can turn off a main voltage region and send a signal to said main voltage region to flush any secret data that may have been exported off said voltage island.

20. The circuit of claim 19, wherein said data may be entered into said storage area during a manufacturing process, using a cryptographic protocol in said field via an off chip interface to said management logic that can authenticate said command and enter said new data into said secure data storage area.