Quantum-driven semiconductor IP for IoT security verified as PSA Certified Level 2 Ready

LONDON -- September 6th, 2021 --- Crypto Quantique, a specialist in quantum-driven cybersecurity for the internet of things (IoT), has received confirmation from independent security experts, Riscure, that its QDID quantum-driven semiconductor IP is PSA Certified Level 2 Ready.

PSA Certified is a global, collaborative security program. Its founding members include semiconductor IP provider Arm, and Riscure, a software and hardware security evaluation vendor specializing in chip, embedded and mobile devices. The program defines a framework for connected device security and its aim is to prevent security becoming a barrier to product development.

There are different elements to PSA Certified security evaluation which looks to certify security credentials for chips, software, Root-of-Trust (RoT) components and devices. At PSA Certified Level 2 and PSA Certified Level 3, the focus is on the PSA-RoT which is provided by silicon vendors. PSA Certified Level 2 Ready is built for companies who provide a sub-set of the full PSA-RoT security requirements.

Crypto Quantique’s semiconductor hardware IP (QDID) is a dedicated physical unclonable function (PUF) used in standard CMOS processes. It supports a full PSA-RoT supplied by chip vendors by exploiting the femto-currents caused by random quantum tunnelling of electrons through the oxide layer of chips to generate random numbers, or seeds. The seeds are then used to produce, unique, uncorrelated and unclonable identities and cryptographic keys on demand. Because these identities and keys are produced within the device itself and do not need to be stored in memory or injected from external sources, they are inherently more secure than those produced by alternative technologies. The second-generation PUF technology is also by far the most economical, requiring only minimal silicon area to generate multiple keys and eliminating the need for expensive on-chip peripherals such as secure memory.

The PSA Certified Level 2 Ready scheme enabled Crypto Quantique to carry out penetration testing on a subset of the PSA Certified Level 2 security requirements, showcasing to chip vendors that its QDID technology meets some of the PSA Certified Level 2 requirements. This allows chip makers to take the pre-certification and use it in a full PSA Certified Level 2 certification.

Bernie Rietkerken, senior sales and business development manager at Riscure, said, “We applaud Crypto Quantique for their security awareness and drive to facilitate higher security levels in future IoT devices. Being grateful to Crypto Quantique for selecting Riscure as the independent lab to evaluate their solution, we found their QDID technology, which can be incorporated in chips to provide secure generation and storage of chip-unique values, to be sufficiently robust to earn the PSA Certified Level 2 Ready status.”

Shahram Mossayebi, Crypto Quantique’s CEO, added, “This certification is further proof that our quantum-driven, second-generation PUF technology underpins the ultimate security for microcontrollers, application-specific semiconductors, and the IoT devices in which they are used. As semiconductor manufacturers seek to raise their game with respect to security, QDID is now the clear front-runner in terms of performance and cost.”

About Crypto Quantique

Crypto Quantique has created the world’s most secure end-to-end IoT security platform. At its heart is the world’s first quantum-driven semiconductor hardware IP, called QDID, that generates multiple, unique, unforgeable cryptographic keys for devices manufactured using standard CMOS processes. The keys do not need to be stored and can be used independently by multiple applications on demand. When combined with cryptographic APIs from the company’s universal IoT security platform, QuarkLink, the solution creates a secure bridge between silicon, device, software, and solutions provider.

The company, which is based in London, UK, was co-founded by Dr Shahram Mossayebi (CEO), an expert in cryptosystems, and Dr Patrick Camilleri (VP Research & Innovation), a semiconductor designer with significant experience in complex parallel computer systems.

For more information visit: www.cryptoquantique.com.