Recently licensed to Qualcomm, the Rambus CryptoManager™ platform is built around an advanced Security Engine and versatile Infrastructure Suite.
The Security Engine is essentially a silicon core integrated into a SoC that provides a hardware-based root-of-trust for the secure provisioning, configuration, keying and authentication of SoCs during chip and device manufacturing.
Meanwhile, the Infrastructure Suite consists of hardware appliances for securing in-factory operations, along with cloud-based management systems designed to protect the distribution of authorization and cryptographic keys throughout the chip manufacturing processes.
“Our CryptoManager platform offers a single UI across factory locations, real-time visibility into operations and remote, cloud-based feature activation,” explained Paul Kocher, president and chief scientist for the Rambus Cryptography Research division.
“This allows chip and handset makers to meet device personalization demands, reduce operating costs and accelerate time-to-market – all while ensuring the security of secret keys and sensitive data.”
As IDC analysts Abhi Dugar and Les Santiago note, the CryptoManager platform offers an end-to-end solution for SoC manufacturers that goes beyond other point solutions by addressing security concerns, as well as the overhead and cost of safely personalizing a chip.
“While Qualcomm and other chip manufacturers will integrate the CryptoManager Security Engine hardware IP into their silicon like any other silicon IP, IDC believes that for Rambus, CryptoManager, with its cloud-based service offering, is indicative of a bold new direction for the company beyond the technology licensing model it is known for,” Dugar and Santiago explained in a recent analysis.
“The CryptoManager Service could not only create new opportunities for Rambus to create value in the manufacturing supply chain – but potentially enable a new per-transaction-based revenue model for the company [via] the delivery of personalized features and capabilities securely through the cloud in the end-to-end value chain from mobile service providers to consumers.”
Craig Rawlings, senior director of business development at the Cryptography Research Division of Rambus, expressed similar sentiments in a July Embedded article.
“[Facilitating a] secure hardware root of trust eliminates much of the complexity and risk associated with downstream security practices,” he wrote.
“[This offers] broad benefits for high-value use cases tied to secure identity services, content protection and financial transactions on mobile connected devices.”
Interested in learning more? You can check out the official Rambus CryptoManager site here and read about our recent licensing deal with Qualcomm here.
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