Maxim Security ICs - Alternatives?

We have an application where we would like to use a low cost security IC to 
protect IP. The Maxim DS2432 or DS28E01-100 are possible candidates. A very 
small SPI device would also be OK.

As usual, Maxim doesn't really want to sell these. They quote a lead time of 
26 weeks. Avnet quotes 100 weeks!, Can you get anything but samples from 
Maxim?

Does anyone have a suggestion? We don't require extreme measures. We are 
mostly trying to keep the honest, honest. The products are for small and 
medium product runs not set top boxes.

Thanks

Al

Hi Al,

Al Clark wrote:
> We have an application where we would like to use a low cost security IC to 
> protect IP. The Maxim DS2432 or DS28E01-100 are possible candidates. A very 
> small SPI device would also be OK.
> 
> As usual, Maxim doesn't really want to sell these. They quote a lead time of 
> 26 weeks. Avnet quotes 100 weeks!, Can you get anything but samples from 
> Maxim?
> 
> Does anyone have a suggestion? We don't require extreme measures. We are 
> mostly trying to keep the honest, honest. The products are for small and 
> medium product runs not set top boxes.

What is the complexity of your *device*?  Are you concerned
with blatant counterfeiting? Class I attacks or Class II?

How hard would it be for someone to copy your *idea* (leaving
your device intact)?

How much are you willing to burden your development and
recurring costs (which will ultimately make your product
LESS attractive to customers as those costs are passed along)?

The type of defense you use will vary depending on the
type of attack you expect.

Al Clark wrote:
> We have an application where we would like to use a low cost security IC to 
> protect IP. The Maxim DS2432 or DS28E01-100 are possible candidates. A very 
> small SPI device would also be OK.

Many serial and parallel NOR flash memories provide for the unique 
serial number and the OTP security register. The idea is to compute the 
result of a secret_function(serial_number, security_register) in your 
software. Good thing about it is that you don't have to make any 
modifications for the firmware for every unit to make it unique.
Of course, this won't stop the determined hacker; however this is good 
enough to prevent the dumb 1:1 copying.

Vladimir Vassilevsky
DSP and Mixed Signal Design Consultant
http://www.abvolt.com

On Tue, 18 May 2010 21:49:42 GMT, Al Clark <aclark@danvillesignal.com> wrote:

>We have an application where we would like to use a low cost security IC to 
>protect IP. The Maxim DS2432 or DS28E01-100 are possible candidates. A very 
>small SPI device would also be OK.
>
>As usual, Maxim doesn't really want to sell these. They quote a lead time of 
>26 weeks. Avnet quotes 100 weeks!, Can you get anything but samples from 
>Maxim?
>
>Does anyone have a suggestion? We don't require extreme measures. We are 
>mostly trying to keep the honest, honest. The products are for small and 
>medium product runs not set top boxes.
>
>Thanks
>
>Al
>

A small microcontroller ( e.g. PIC10F, ATTiny) would probably do the job reasonably well. 
If you're looking for serial-number type functionality, some of the SPI serial flash chips have
this. 

>We have an application where we would like to use a low cost security IC
to 
>protect IP. The Maxim DS2432 or DS28E01-100 are possible candidates. A
very 
>small SPI device would also be OK.
>
>As usual, Maxim doesn't really want to sell these. They quote a lead time
of 
>26 weeks. Avnet quotes 100 weeks!, Can you get anything but samples from 
>Maxim?
>
>Does anyone have a suggestion? We don't require extreme measures. We are 
>mostly trying to keep the honest, honest. The products are for small and 
>medium product runs not set top boxes.
>
>Thanks
>
>Al
>
>
>
>

I haven't any detailed knowledge of it, but look up "Keeloq" on the
Microchip website. They seem to have micros with the technology embedded as
well as stand alone encoders and decoders.

-Aubrey	   
					
---------------------------------------		
Posted through http://www.EmbeddedRelated.com

"antedeluvian" <akagan@n_o_s_p_a_m.sympatico.ca> wrote in message 
news:E5Gdnb-A7fE1aW7WnZ2dnUVZ_u6dnZ2d@giganews.com...
> >We have an application where we would like to use a low cost security IC
> to
>>protect IP. The Maxim DS2432 or DS28E01-100 are possible candidates. A
> very
>>small SPI device would also be OK.
>>
>>As usual, Maxim doesn't really want to sell these. They quote a lead time
> of
>>26 weeks. Avnet quotes 100 weeks!, Can you get anything but samples from
>>Maxim?
>>
>>Does anyone have a suggestion? We don't require extreme measures. We are
>>mostly trying to keep the honest, honest. The products are for small and
>>medium product runs not set top boxes.
>>
>>Thanks
>>
>>Al
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> I haven't any detailed knowledge of it, but look up "Keeloq" on the
> Microchip website. They seem to have micros with the technology embedded 
> as
> well as stand alone encoders and decoders.
>

Keeloq isapparently 'cracked'....

Atmel do security processors as used in  smart cards... but you have to be a 
large corp, take volume and sign NDA. 

In comp.arch.embedded,
TTman <someone.pc@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>
> Atmel do security processors as used in  smart cards... but you have to be a 
> large corp, take volume and sign NDA. 

The AT88SC0104CA seems to be available from digikey.
Not a processor but a "crypto memory".

-- 
Stef    (remove caps, dashes and .invalid from e-mail address to reply by mail)

He who renders warfare fatal to all engaged in it will be the greatest
benefactor the world has yet known.
		-- Sir Richard Burton

>We have an application where we would like to use a low cost security IC
to 
>protect IP. The Maxim DS2432 or DS28E01-100 are possible candidates. A
very 
>small SPI device would also be OK.
>
>As usual, Maxim doesn't really want to sell these. They quote a lead time
of 
>26 weeks. Avnet quotes 100 weeks!, Can you get anything but samples from 
>Maxim?
>
>Does anyone have a suggestion? We don't require extreme measures. We are 
>mostly trying to keep the honest, honest. The products are for small and 
>medium product runs not set top boxes.
>
>Thanks
>
>Al
>
>
>
>
I just came across a design idea entitled "Algorithm keeps data safe" in
the January 21, 2010 edition of EDN. It seems to address your concerns.

-Aubrey	   
					
---------------------------------------		
Posted through http://www.EmbeddedRelated.com