Microchip’s PolarFire FPGA’s single-chip crypto design flow

30th August 2023

Sheryl Miles

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Security is now an imperative for all designs in every vertical market. Today, system architects and designers received further evidence of the security of their communications, industrial, aerospace, defence, nuclear, and other systems relying on Microchip Technology’s PolarFire FPGAs.

The United Kingdom Government’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has reviewed the devices when used with the Single-Chip Crypto Design Flow against stringent device-level resiliency requirements.

“The NCSC conducts a very rigorous analysis, and the work done with Microchip on the Design Separation Methodology in the PolarFire FPGA enables the user to take advantage of improved resilience and functional isolation within the device. This reinforces Microchip’s commitment to our

approach to security,” said Tim Morin, technical fellow at Microchip’s FPGA business unit. “This analysis provides the option for single-chip cryptography in addition to what already exists within the devices for protecting IP, securing data and protection against physical tampering – an often overlooked and very powerful threat to every electronic system, especially those at the intelligent edge.”

PolarFire FPGAs implement Microchip’s security architecture to protect intellectual property, secure data, and secure supply chains.

PolarFire FPGA IP protection includes:

AES 256-encrypted configuration files with SHA 256-based HMAC authentication
Processing is protected against differential power analysis (DPA) with technology licensed from cryptography research incorporated (CRI)
Public key cryptographic cores: elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) for secure distribution of keys
True random number generators

PolarFire FPGA data security features include:

Hardened cryptographic accelerators for use in the end application
Pass-through CRI license enables royalty-free development of DPA-protected algorithms using techniques patented by CRI

PolarFire FPGA supply chain security features reduce the risk of counterfeiting, re-marking, and overbuilding and include:

Silicon biometrics, including Physically Unclonable Functions (PUFs), that allow each device to be uniquely identified and cryptographically validated

The devices are supported by Microchip’s Libero SoC Design Suite available to license, including no-charge versions, from Microchip’s Purchasing and Client Services website. PolarFire FPGA and SoC development kits and hardware are also available on the purchasing and client services website.