Breach sensor

Abstract

One example of the invention discloses a breach sensor, comprising: a substrate including an integrated circuit; a passivation layer coupled to the substrate; a breach sensing element coupled to the circuit; wherein the breach sensing element is on a first side of the passivation layer and the substrate is on a second side of the passivation layer; a barrier configured to separate the breach sensing element from an ambient environment; wherein the breach sensing element is responsive to barrier damage.

Description

technical field [0001] The present specification relates to systems, methods, apparatus, devices, articles of manufacture and instructions responsive to package breaches. Background technique [0002] Packages can be damaged for a variety of reasons, benign and not so benign. In benign instances, a package may be designed to be opened, whereby the opening process results in predictable and / or intended collateral damage to the package. [0003] However, in less benign instances, integrated circuit chip packages may be damaged due to deliberate physical hacking designed to defeat the security features of the integrated circuit. Hacking techniques include: package thinning, FIB (focused ion beam) holes, and decapping. [0004] In some cases, cracked chips can reveal the chip's proprietary circuit structure and schematics. In other cases, such compromised chips may be powered to reveal the chip's operation, or reprogrammed to gain access to secure systems such as bank servers...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0003] However, in less benign instances, integrated circuit chip packages may be damaged due to deliberate physical hacking designed to defeat the security features of the integrated circuit

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