Tamper-Resistant Packaging Using Magnetically-Set Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tamper-protection methods for integrated circuits, particularly non-volatile memory, are ineffective as they do not cause memory loss when power is removed, making it challenging to protect proprietary data from unauthorized access.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating magnetically-responsive nodes and magnetic materials in the chip package, where the magnetic field changes upon tampering, altering the cryptographic key stored in the integrated circuit, thereby preventing decryption of data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If power is removed from non-volatile memory, then power consumption is reduced, but data protection is not achieved because memory is not lost
Solution Approach 1:
A magnetic package layer is introduced as an intermediary between the external environment and the memory device. This layer contains magnetic material that generates a magnetic field to set the state of magnetically-responsive nodes, creating a dependency chain where data protection is achieved through the magnetic field rather than direct power control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electrical power-based tamper protection mechanism with a magnetic field-based mechanism. Instead of using power removal to erase data (electrical mechanism), the system uses magnetic field changes to alter the state of magnetically-responsive nodes, substituting electrical control with magnetic control
2Reliability
If magnetic material is added to the package, then data protection is improved through magnetic field dependency, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic package layer serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural packaging protection, generates the magnetic field for setting node states, and acts as a tamper-detection mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and minimizes overall device complexity despite adding magnetic functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the packaging function with the data protection function by integrating magnetic material directly into the package structure. The package is no longer just a protective enclosure but also an active component that participates in data protection through its magnetic field generation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively prevents unauthorized access by ensuring that any attempt to tamper with the package results in a change in the magnetic state of the magnetically-responsive bits, rendering the cryptographic key unusable for decryption, thus securing the data within the integrated circuit.
Implementation Method 1
the magnetic field provided by the magnetic material over the chip circuitry will likely change
Implementation Method 2
Magnetoresistive metals used in such memory applications show a change in electrical resistance when placed in a magnetic field
Data Source
AI summary
A tamper-resistant packaging approach protects an integrated circuit (100) from undesirable access. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, data is encrypted as a function of the state of a plurality of magnetically-responsive circuit elements (130-135) and then decrypted as a function of the state (130-135). A package (106) is arranged to prevent access to the integrated circuit and having magnetic particles (120-125) therein. The magnetic particles (120-125) are arranged to cause the magnetically-responsive circuit elements (130-135) to take on a state that is used to encrypt the data. The state of these elements is again accordingly used to decrypt the data (e.g., as a key). When the magnetic particles are altered, for example, by removing a portion of the package, the state of one or more of the magnetically-responsive circuit elements is changed, thus rendering the state incapable of being used for decrypting the data.