NXP Semiconductor goes another step ahead in securing its ID chips

NXP Semiconductor is collaborating with Intrinsic-ID to license and deploy a hardware intrinsic security (HIS) solution in NXP's SmartMX family of security and identification semiconductor chips. Both NXP and Intrinsic-ID were earlier part of Philips Electronics.
Intrinsic-ID's hardware intrinsic security products are based on patented physically unclonable function (PUF) technology that has been deployed in Philips' production environment.
ID card Security breaches, such as counterfeiting, tampering, theft-of-service and reverse engineering are taken care by applying Intrinsic-ID technology.

Guenter Schlatte, vice president and general manager, secure identity at NXP, said, "As a response to the growing number of security attacks we constantly innovate to stay ahead of hackers to provide top end security products to our customers. Our collaboration with Intrinsic-ID and its ground-breaking solution allows us to stay in the forefront of security for eGovernment products, conditional access management systems for Pay TV and authentication solutions for electronic devices and peripherals."

Intrinsic-ID hardware security products and services are secured through hardware-generated code/key. The secret key is dynamically generated from the hardware instead of accessing from a stored register or a memory. This stops hackers from accessing the key, which is not there in any soft-stored form.

"The equipment and methodology used for chip analysis gets more advanced every year, which plays into the hands of determined attackers," stated Daniël Schobben, CEO of Intrinsic-ID. "Through this partnership, NXP will be able to implement Quiddikey, the first production-proven HIS solution, to achieve unparalleled security levels because the secret key is not present when the device is switched off."

Quiddikey is based on patented technologies and industrialized through extensive R&D efforts. This revolutionary solution uses a unique ID that is intrinsic to each and every device, using only standard components. Quiddikey provides cost-effective key storage to secure semiconductor products against today's common security breaches. More information on Quiddikey can be found at http://www.intrinsic-id.com/quiddikey/

NXP SmartMX products incorporating Intrinsic-ID Quiddikey are targeted to enter the market in 2011.

In the growing market of smartcards and ID cards the security is a major issue. The technologies protecting the card from misuse only will grow and get more complex as the hackers chase them with their own reverse engineering methods.