Getting up close and personal with symmetric session key exchange

Getting up close and personal with symmetric session key exchange
by Bill Boldt on 12-03-2014 at 2:00 am

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In today’s world, the three pillars of security are confidentiality, integrity (of the data), and authentication (i.e. “C.I.A.”). Fortunately, Atmel CryptoAuthentication crypto engines with secure key storage can be used in systems to provide all three of these.

Focusing on the confidentiality pillar, in a symmetric system… Read More


Don’t be an “ID-IoT”

Don’t be an “ID-IoT”
by Bill Boldt on 11-20-2014 at 8:00 am

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Let’s just come out and say it: Not using the most robust security to protect your digital ID, passwords, secret keys and other important items is a really, really bad idea. That is particularly true with the coming explosion of the Internet of Things (IoT).



The identity (i.e. “ID”) of an IoT node must be authenticated and trusted … Read More


Atmel, IoT and CryptoAuthentication

Atmel, IoT and CryptoAuthentication
by Paul McLellan on 11-19-2014 at 7:00 am

One of the companies that is best positioned to supply components into the IoT market is Atmel. For the time being most designs will be done using standard components, not doing massive integration on an SoC targeted at a specific market. The biggest issue in the early stage of market development will be working out what the customer… Read More


There’s good news about BadUSB

There’s good news about BadUSB
by Bill Boldt on 10-22-2014 at 4:00 am

The good news about the recently-revealed BadUSB is that there actually is a cure: Hardware crypto engines were invented to protect software, firmware and hardware from exactly these types of attacks, among many others. These uber-tiny, ultra secure hardware devices can be easily and cost-effectively added to USB sticks (andRead More


ARM TrustZone and Zynq

ARM TrustZone and Zynq
by Paul McLellan on 09-28-2014 at 10:00 am

Security of embedded devices is becoming more and more important. The requirement for good protection increases as devices become more interconnected: wearable medical devices that connect to the cloud, mobile base stations that are no longer up poles but in much less physically secure areas, cars that communicate among themselves.… Read More


New details on Altera network-on-FPGA

New details on Altera network-on-FPGA
by Don Dingee on 08-28-2014 at 4:00 pm

Advantages to using NoCs in SoC design are well documented: reduced routing congestion, better performance than crossbars, improved optimization and reuse of IP, strategies for system power management, and so on. What happens when NoCs move into FPGAs, or more accurately the SoC variant combining ARM cores with programmable… Read More


Secure at any IoT deed

Secure at any IoT deed
by Don Dingee on 08-25-2014 at 3:00 pm

In his classic book “Unsafe at Any Speed”, Ralph Nader assailed the auto industry and their approach to styling and cost efficiency at the expense of safety during the 1960s. He squared up on perceived defects in the Chevrolet Corvair, but extended his view to wider issues such as tire inflation ratings favoring passenger comfort… Read More


Wipe that smile off your device

Wipe that smile off your device
by Don Dingee on 07-30-2014 at 8:00 am

Privacy is a tough enough question when using a device – but what about when we’re done with it? In a world of two year service agreements with device upgrades and things being attached to long-life property like cars and homes, your data could fall into the hands of the next owner way too easily.

“Oh, it’s OK, I wiped the phone with a factory… Read More


Is this thing real? Symmetric authentication will tell you!

Is this thing real? Symmetric authentication will tell you!
by Bill Boldt on 07-01-2014 at 6:00 pm

The act of authentication is very straightforward. Essentially, it is making sure that something is real.

There are two parts to authentication:

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  • Identification
  • Confirmation of identity

    Authentication in the “crypto-verse” typically happens on a host and client basis where the host wants to ensure that a client is

  • Read More

    What is Authentication and Why Should You Care?

    What is Authentication and Why Should You Care?
    by Bill Boldt on 06-18-2014 at 10:00 pm

    Authentication means making sure that something is real, just like it sounds.In the real world, authentication has many uses. One of the most recognizable is anti-counterfeiting, which means validating the authenticity of a removable, replaceable, or consumable client. Examples include system accessories, electronic Read More