Tamper Sensor Substrate With Interior Tab Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tamper sensors' connection points are often exposed, allowing intruders to manipulate and bypass the detection system, compromising the reliability of tamper detection in sensitive computing systems.
Innovation Solution
A substrate for a tamper sensor with a plurality of walls and a tab that defines a protective volume with an open side, where the tab extends from an interior edge and is positioned within the volume, and an interconnect is disposed on the tab to connect with protected hardware, limiting exterior access and enhancing detection reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the connection point is disposed on the exterior of the tamper sensor structure, then ease of connection and accessibility is improved, but security and reliability of tamper detection deteriorates due to exposure to manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The connection point is moved from the exterior surface to the interior volume of the tamper sensor structure. The tab extends from an interior edge of a wall into the protective volume, positioning the connection point inside the sealed enclosure. This dimensional transition from exterior to interior space resolves the contradiction by maintaining connection functionality while eliminating exterior exposure to manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The tab with the connection point is nested within the protective volume defined by the walls. The connection point becomes embedded inside the tamper sensor structure rather than being exposed on the exterior. This nesting approach allows the connection to be made while simultaneously protecting it from external access and manipulation.
2Ease of operation
If the connection point is exposed to exterior access, then accessibility for connection is improved, but vulnerability to manipulation and bypass increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection point transitions from exterior exposure to interior placement within the protective volume. By moving the connection from the outer surface into the enclosed space defined by the walls, the design maintains accessibility during manufacturing while eliminating vulnerability to field manipulation and bypass attempts.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection point is extracted from the exterior surface and repositioned within the interior protective volume. This extraction removes the vulnerable external interface while preserving the connection functionality inside the sealed structure, thereby eliminating the harmful exposure to manipulation.
3Ease of operation
If the connection point is positioned on the exterior structure, then ease of access for connection is improved, but security against intruder access deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection point is nested within the protective volume formed by the walls, making it inaccessible from the exterior. The tab extends into the enclosed space, embedding the connection interface inside the tamper sensor structure. This nesting provides both ease of access during manufacturing and security against intruder manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection point moves from the exterior dimension to the interior dimension of the tamper sensor structure. By repositioning the connection inside the sealed enclosure rather than on the outer surface, the design achieves both manufacturing accessibility and operational security.
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate for a tamper sensor includes a plurality of walls and a tab. The walls define a protective volume with an open side. The walls have a plurality of open edges adjacent the open side and a plurality of interior edges different from the open edges. The tab extends from one of the interior edges of one of the walls and is disposed within the protective volume.