Microchip Offers Unique Advanced Security Features On Its 16-Bit Microcontroller Family

In embedded applications, OEMs, design houses and software vendors face some critical IP protection issues while collaborating on system designs to achieve end-product customization, including:

• The use of an expensive multiple-chip solution for separately protecting intellectual properties
• The risk of software algorithm vendors and design houses losing IP to unqualified partners.
• Insufficient on-chip support for secure firmware distribution and Flash memory updates.

CodeGuard™ security can eliminate these concerns by enabling OEMs to separate three segments of on-chip memory - the Boot Segment, Secure Segment and General Segment - with tiered levels of security. This allows design houses or algorithm vendors to protect proprietary software in secure memory segments while permitting a range of applications to access algorithm operation from other segments. In addition, CodeGuard security, coupled with Microchip’s low-cost encryption software libraries, enables secure field upgrades of product firmware. These secure firmware updates can even decrypt the incoming data stream entirely within a secure segment’s resources.

Previously, this type of security has only featured on 32-bit processors and ASICs targeting PDA and smart-card applications. However, as users of 16-bit embedded controllers, OEMs manufacturing for automotive, industrial and metering applications, among others, have expressed concern about system tampering during field updates that use various communication protocols including CAN, TCP/IP & Ethernet, USB, RS232 and I2C™. Microchip’s 16-Bit CodeGuard protected devices include those targeting general-purpose, motor-control, automotive and digital power-conversion applications. Many other applications including noise-cancelling headsets, hands-free phone kits, power distribution/metering, smart-card readers, ATMs and POS terminals can also take advantage of this security.