Fraunhofer Institute for Applied and Integrated Security
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied and Integrated Security
© Fraunhofer AISEC / Freepik
Vertrauenswürdige Elektronik

© Fraunhofer AISEC / Freepik

Trusted Electronics

Reliability, Cybersecurity and Data Protection in a Globally Networked World

What are trusted electronics?

Trusted Electronics
Trusted electronics perform their intended functions reliably and precisely and their origin and configuration are traceable.

The term “trusted electronics” refers to IT hardware — in electronic consumer devices such as computers or smartphones, for example, or in digital networks, machines and systems — which performs its intended functions reliably and precisely. Furthermore, it is possible to trace where the hardware comes from and how it is built.

Trusted electronics fulfill the following criteria:

  • Quality and reliability: Trusted electronics can be operated reliably throughout the entire product life cycle within a framework defined in advance in the specifications.
  • Known and complete specifications: Trusted electronics perform precisely and only those functions that are set out in their specifications. They do not contain any functionalities that are open to abuse or have been inadvertently or deliberately introduced and could result in the system being hacked.
  • Protection against unauthorized modifications: Trusted electronics contain security mechanisms which protect them against unauthorized modifications. This also means that secret cryptographic keys need to be stored to enable secure communication with the electronics and to protect against tampering. 

These requirements need to be fulfilled in order for companies, institutions and private individuals to be able to trust the electronics they use in a globalized world — whether it is in the context of everyday use, critical infrastructures, Industry 4.0, the automotive sector or medical devices — to do what they are supposed to do.

Why are trusted electronics important?

Trusted Electronics
© Andreas Heddergott / TUM
Trusted microelectronics are crucial for digitalization as they ensure cybersecurity and, hence, data protection as well as securing companies’ technological sovereignty and competitiveness.

Microelectronic technology is the key to digitalization. We trust chips with our information, our intellectual property, our infrastructure and our lives. At the same time, production and value chains in the semiconductor industry are complex and highly globalized.

Trusted electronics make it possible to ensure cybersecurity and data protection in a globally networked world. They provide the basis for our technological sovereignty, independence and agency and will secure the innovative capacity and competitiveness of German and European companies over the long term.

Trusted electronics are essential in order for companies, institutions and private individuals to rely on the security, integrity and authenticity of their systems and to ensure that the products and infrastructures which use these systems can work safely with sensitive information.

How do electronics become trusted?

Hardware Security Lab
© Fraunhofer AISEC / Oliver Bodmer
In order for systems to be operated safely, the trustworthiness of electronics must be evaluated, actively shaped and maintained over the long term.
Hardware Security Lab
© Fraunhofer AISEC / Oliver Bodmer
When it comes to trusted electronics, providers need to have the necessary expertise and capacity to test and develop chips.

In order to operate systems safely and reliably, providers and integrators must be able to evaluate and actively shape the trustworthiness of microelectronics and maintain this trustworthiness throughout the entire product life cycle. 

As part of this, they must have the necessary expertise and capacity to be able to trace the production and supply chains of their components beyond doubt and to verify the functions of their electronic components in incoming tests, in the field or during the fault analysis process. To ensure that the functions correspond precisely to the specifications, providers may choose to develop particularly critical chips themselves.

Various technological measures can be used to ensure trustworthiness. These include:

  • Cryptographic implementations which provide effective protection for weak points in systems.
  • Trust anchors and security mechanisms which verify the integrity of the electronic components and products.
  • Analysis and evaluation methods which detect security vulnerabilities effectively.
  • Open-Source-Hardware which enhances technological sovereignty and enables companies to develop their own trusted value chains.
  • Supply chains which are secured by technical means.

Trusted electronics in practice:

How Fraunhofer AISEC and its partners are getting implementation off the ground

Fraunhofer AISEC and its partners are facilitating the implementation of trusted electronics by researching and developing specific solution concepts, technologies and tools.

CC-certified Hardware Security Lab: We analyze your hardware

Fraunhofer AISEC’s CC-certified (Common Criteria) Hardware Security Lab offers a comprehensive spectrum of hardware security analyses — including for devices with increased protection requirements up to EAL7 (Evaluation Assurance Level): from offensive security evaluations of embedded systems, e.g., IoT devices which come under the Cyber Resilience Act, to highly specialized attacks on security implementations.

Hardware Security Lab
© Fraunhofer AISEC / Oliver Bodmer
Fraunhofer AISEC researchers evaluate the trustworthiness of electronics in the CC-certified Hardware Security Lab.

Harness the results of our applied research

 

© Fraunhofer IIS / denisismagilov

OpenTitan-based RISC-V secure element

We protect your hardware

Together with Fraunhofer IIS, Fraunhofer AISEC is developing a RISC-V secure element based on the OpenTitan project. Combining open source with Fraunhofer competencies and Bavarian funding in the Trusted Electronic Bayern Center (TrEB) makes it possible to develop customized technology and system solutions for critical applications.

 

© Fraunhofer EMFT

Tamper-protection foil

Your hardware, securely wrapped up

Next-generation tamper-protection foils are wrapped around electronics in order to protect them and prevent confidential information being stolen. In contrast to the prior art, these innovative tamper-protection foils are produced using roll-to-roll lithographic methods. A patented system concept is used to derive keys from foil parameters, which means that there is no need for battery buffering. This increases the level of security and makes for easier handling.

 

© Andreas Heddergott / TUM

RISC-V processor platform

Design your own processors with us

We can help you to develop individual circuits, taking into account existing designs and the RISC-V core in order to fulfill regulatory requirements. We develop, implement and integrate secure processor architectures, Linux-based operating systems including the development environment and IP for secure elements. Validation is carried out in our security labs and during rapid prototyping in software and hardware.

Find out about our research projects

 

Security features for trusted electronics

APECS

The pilot line APECS marks a major leap forward in strenghtening Europe's semi-conductor manufacturing capabilities and chiplet innovation as part of the EU Chips Act. Fraunhofer AISEC develops security features for trusted electronics in the heterointegration of chiplets.

 

© BCDC / Fraunhofer IIS

Competence center

Bavarian Chip Design Center

The Bavarian Chip Design Center (BCDC) — in collaboration with Fraunhofer AISEC, Fraunhofer EMFT and Fraunhofer IIS as well as a number of Bavarian universities — provides companies, particularly start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), with easier access to chip design and corresponding supply chains.

 

© TrEB

Competence center

Trusted Electronic Bayern

The Trusted Electronic Bayern Center (TrEB) is where Fraunhofer AISEC, Fraunhofer EMFT and Fraunhofer IIS develop customized technology and system solutions for reliable and trusted electronics for their partners from various branches of industry in order to solve current and future challenges in the field of microelectronics.

 

© Velektronik

Networking platform

Velektronik

The Velektronik research project, coordinated by Fraunhofer AISEC, created a unique networking platform for trusted electronics which forms an interface between companies and research institutions from the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and the Leibniz Association as well as the edacentrum.

Benefit from our studies and analyses

 

© Fraunhofer AISEC

Study for European Commission

Trusted electronics

In the study entitled “Study on Trusted Electronics: An overview over requirements, technologies and initiatives towards more trusted electronics” for the European Commission, Fraunhofer AISEC investigates the challenges and motivations for trusted electronics with a focus on secure designs, supply chains and analysis methods.

 

© acatech

acatech discussion paper

RISC-V: An Open Standard for Chip Development

In a discussion paper published by acatech (German National Academy of Science and Engineering), Prof. Eckert and Prof. Sigl discuss the potential of an open standard for chip development.