Zilog and Icon Labs Announce Secure ZGATE Ethernet Bridge Technology and Module Reference Design

The new ZGATE Security Bridge Reference Design is a clever new approach that utilizes an embedded microcontroller and levels of protection that go beyond typical firewall security to allow smart devices to resist malevolent attacks.



Based on Zilog’s eZ80Acclaim, embedded with Icon Labs’ Floodgate technology, the new ZGATE Ethernet bridge and Reference design module, will help reduce the incidence of security breaches for many types of products in defense, telecommunication, utility, transportation, medical and industrial applications.



“Zilog and Icon Labs have been working closely together on this innovative MCU-based solution to keep in step with the world’s need for stronger security solutions across many embedded applications,” said Steve Darrough, Zilog’s VP of Marketing. “ZGATE is the first and only embedded hardware communication solution that can protect connected devices from the growing number of Internet-based threats.”



“Icon Labs’ Floodgate technology provides protection from Internet-based threats by controlling which packets the embedded device is allowed to process,” said Alan Grau, President of Icon Labs. “Encryption and authentication may protect a device from a hacker trying to access the device, but Floodgate prevents the hacker from ever connecting. Floodgate’s filtering engine can block denial of service attacks, packet floods, port scans, or other Internet-based threats.”



The ZGATE Security Bridge offers the following features:

- ZGATE Embedded Security firewall

- Factory-default 5MHz crystal oscillator input, 50MHz maximum operating speed via PLL

- 2 –10/100 BaseT Ethernet PHY with RJ45 connectors

- 1M External high speed SRAM

- 8M External Flash

- 8K internal RAM

- 192K Internal Flash available

- Real-Time Clock support with back-up battery



ZGATE Modules features include:

- ZGATE Embedded Security firewall

- Wired and Wireless Modules

- Factory-default 5MHz crystal oscillator input, 50MHz maximum operating speed via PLL

- 10/100 BaseT Ethernet PHY with RJ45 connector

- 128KB external high-speed SRAM

- 192KB on-chip Flash memory available

- 8KB on-chip SRAM

- Real-Time Clock support

- I/O connector provides 32 general-purpose 5V-tolerant I/O pin-outs

- On-board connector provides I/O bus for external peripheral connections (IRQ, /CS, 24 addresses)

- Connection to the eZ80AcclaimPlus! Development Platform via two 56-pin miniheaders

- Small 50mm x 47.5mm footprint

- 3.3V power supply