Microchip Introduces First Crypto Companion Device, Bringing Built-In Security to the Automotive Market

     Microchip Technology Inc announced the release of the CryptoAutomotive security IC, the TrustAnchor100 (TA100), to help OEMs and their module suppliers simplify the upgrade process for existing designs to meet the security requirements of future automotive products. This encryption companion device supports in-vehicle network security solutions such as secure boot, firmware updates and message authentication, including controller area network (CAN) MAC at bus speed.

     To comply with new safety regulations, car designers must rebuild the vehicle's electronic control unit with safety hardware. Existing solutions on the market include single-core dual-core hardware security module (HSM) devices, which require OEMs and their module suppliers to re-architect their respective application software for security integration. In addition to the time-consuming and labor-intensive integration, the security holes brought by this separate implementation of the re-architecture will also seriously hinder product development. Third-party security software can help overcome this obstacle, but at the same time increase development costs.

     The TA100 provides an alternative in-vehicle network architecture deployment for secure boot and message authentication. The TA100 solution fully meets the requirements of EVITA Medium and EVITA Full hardware security modules, and has been approved by many OEMs around the world. After carefully evaluating the cybersecurity specifications of several well-known OEMs, Microchip designed the TA100 with multiple features to help the OEM's Tier 1 suppliers comply with the Production Part Approval Process (PPAP). In addition, Microchip provides security specification and request for quotation (RFQ) evaluation services to help Tier 1 suppliers understand customer needs and improve project success rates. By providing pre-programmed in-app encryption code pre-configured with a unique asymmetric key pair and associated x.509 certificate, the TA100 removes the barriers associated with secure code development and configuration, reducing security risk and production costs, and speeding time-to-market.

     The TA100 has passed an intensive third-party vulnerability assessment and has proven to be robust against attacks. It is AEC-Q100 Automotive Level 1 certified, FIPS 140-2 CMVP Security Level 2 and Physical Key Protection Level 3 certified, and received the highest score in the Joint Interpretation Library (JIL) High Level Vulnerability Assessment. Additionally, the TA100 offers software components such as AUTOSAR drivers, Microcontroller Abstraction Layer (MCAL) and Microchip's CryptoAuthentication™ library for seamless integration into industry standard operating systems, AUTOSAR, or custom software stacks for implementing cryptographic functions middle.

     "TrustAnchor100 provides security when thousands of electronic control units are being upgraded by automotive Tier 1 and OEM manufacturers," said Nuri Dagdeviren, vice president of Microchip's Security Products Business Unit. "The TA100, combined with an integrated software stack, enables Providing customers with production-ready software allows them to easily add safety to any automotive module."