The majority of set-top boxes (STBs) on the market in the 1990s were secured by Conditional Access System (CAS) smart cards that stored STB identities along with their respective service rights. While these early smart cards offered operators basic levels of content protection against unauthorized viewers, they were ultimately incapable of guarding against increasingly sophisticated methods of attack by criminal hackers and pirate collectives.
CryptoFirewall
Rambus CryptoFirewall secures Marvell’s 88PA810 Trusted Authentication IC
Marvell has confirmed that its second-gen 88PA810 Trusted Authentication IC integrates Rambus’ CryptoFirewall security core solution, along with anti-tampering and anti-reverse engineering technologies. Designed for use in systems that require secure product authentication and usage tracking, the 88PA810 provides a proven and trusted offering to prevent counterfeit attacks. The 88PA810 also includes IoT smart device protection against external attacks that threaten vulnerable cloud-connected devices.
Rambus demos hardware-based security for 4K UHD TVs @ IBC 2015
MStar Semiconductor has kicked off production of a secure chipset for connected TVs that integrates the Rambus Cryptography Research CryptoFirewall™ security core with Intertrust’s ExpressPlay™ cloud service for Digital Rights Management (DRM). Dubbed MStar G6F, the new chipset is designed to meet consumer demand for easy access to 4K UHD programs – while also providing security for content owners.
When power becomes a problem
Semiconductor Engineering editor in chief Ed Sperling recently reported that the current emphasis on lowering power – in everything from wearable electronics to data centers
Rambus Cryptography Research division showcases security cores @ RSA 2015
RSA 2015 kicked off this morning at Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. We’re showcasing a wide range of advanced security core solutions at booth S1815, including DPA countermeasures, as well as CryptoFirewall anti-counterfeiting and content protection platforms.
Understanding the methodology behind side-channel attacks
Rambus Cryptography Research Fellow Pankaj Rohatgi recently penned an in-depth EDN article describing the methodology behind side-channel attacks. The technique, says Rohatgi, relies on the fact that any physical realization of cryptography in hardware or software cannot be an “atomic black box” as assumed by the traditional mathematical proofs of security. Simply put, physical systems routinely leak information about the internal process of computing.