INTEGRATED CIRCUIT, METHOD FOR PROTECTING AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

• US 20170083459A1
• Filed: 09/16/2016
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Riou, Sebastien
• Granted Patent: US 10,282,312 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1408 by using cryptography for digital transmission H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1466 Key-lock mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2133 Verifying human interaction, e.g., Captcha
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/073 Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07372 by detecting tampering with the circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/082 Features insuring the integrity of the data on or in the card
• CPC Class Codes: G09C 1/00 Apparatus or methods whereby a given sequence of signs, e.g. an intelligible text, is transformed into an unintelligible sequence of signs by transposing the signs or groups of signs or by replacing them by others according to a predetermined system cryptographic typewriters G09C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5225 Shielding layers formed together with wiring layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/573 using passive means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/576 using active circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/004 for fault attacks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics

Abstract

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, an integrated circuit is provided which comprises an active shield in a first layer and at least one security-critical component in a second layer, said security-critical component being configured to generate an access key for enabling access to at least a part of said security-critical component, wherein said access key is based on an output value of the active shield. According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method for protecting an integrated circuit is conceived. According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding computer program product is provided.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit comprising an active shield in a first layer and at least one security-critical component in a second layer, said security-critical component being configured to generate an access key for enabling access to at least a part of said security-critical component, wherein said access key is based on an output value of the active shield.

2. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, the security-critical component further being configured to use the access key to enable access to the content of a storage unit comprised in the security-critical component.

3. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 2, wherein said content is encrypted content, and wherein the access key comprises a decryption key for decrypting said encrypted content.

4. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the access key is based on the output value of the active shield and on a fixed random number.

5. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 4, the security-critical component further being configured to generate the access key by performing an exclusive—

or operation on the output value of the active shield and said fixed random number.

6. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, the security-critical component further being configured to provide an input value to the active shield, said input value being based on a fixed random seed value.

7. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 6, the security-critical component further being configured to mask the input value with a variable random value before providing said input value to the active shield.

8. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 7, the security-critical component further being configured to unmask the output value of the active shield using said variable random value.

9. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 8, the security-critical component further being configured to use Boolean masking.

10. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the security-critical component comprises a shield controller which is configured to mask the input value and unmask the output value.

11. An integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, the security-critical component further being configured to generate an error signal if said access is not enabled.

12. A smart card comprising an integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1.

13. An electronic identification document comprising an integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1.

14. A method for protecting an integrated circuit, said integrated circuit comprising an active shield in a first layer and at least one security-critical component in a second layer, wherein the security-critical component generates an access key for enabling access to at least a part of said security-critical component, and wherein said access key is based on an output value of the active shield.

15. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when being executed by a processing unit, cause said processing unit to carry out a method as claimed in claim 14.