Samsung to use ARM core with security accelerator in 32-bit smart card chips

Samsung to use ARM core with security accelerator in 32-bit smart card chips
By Semiconductor Business News
October 9, 2001 (10:40 a.m. EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20011009S0031

CAMBRIDGE, England -- ARM Ltd. here today announced it has licensed 32-bit RISC core technology focused on secure smart card applications to Samsung Electronics Co. in South Korea.

Samsung is already using the ARM SecurCore SC100 microprocessor core to make components for high-performance smart cards in a range of system applications, such as pay-TV, banking, network access, and 3G mobile phones. According to ARM, the Korean chip maker is already producing ICs in volume with the 32-bit RISC core.

Under the new pact, Samsung has also licensed the ARM cryptographic acceleration technology. Cambridge-based ARM said the technology provides the fastest cryptography performances on algorithms from RSA Security Inc. The core performs 1,024-bit RSA processing in under 100 ms within the power budget of a GSM SIM card used in cellular phones based on theGlobal System for Mobile (GSM) format, according to ARM.

The SecurCore microprocessor core co mbines the basic ARM RISC core with dedicated hardware for security features, said Steve Evans, vice president of segment marketing at the Cambridge company. "This agreement makes SecurCore technology the most widely available 32-bit RISC architecture designed for smart cards and other secure applications," he added.

Samsung is pursuing many emerging secure applications with the ARM SecurCore technology and smart card, said Chilhee Chung, vice president of System LSI Division at the Korean chip maker. In addition to processing security features and cryptography, the RISC core supports Samsung's Java Card technology efforts, he said.

Terms of the licensing agreement were not released.