Writing for the Institutional Investor, analyst Jeffrey Kutler reports that U.S. merchants – in an effort to limit loss liability – face an October 2015 deadline to install PoS (Point of Service) devices compatible with the E.M.V. standard. “[This] enables them to read cards equipped with computer chips, which are far less vulnerable to fraud and forgery than the old magnetic stripes, and which card issuers are currently distributing,” Kutler explains.
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Rambus licenses patents and technology to IBM
Rambus has signed both a patent and a technology license agreement with IBM. According to Frank Ferro, senior director of product management at Rambus, the agreement authorizes the integration of Rambus’ memory and serial link interface technologies.
Moore’s Law accelerates smart sensor evolution
Named after Intel co-founder Gordon E. Moore, Moore’s Law observes that the number of transistors in a dense integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years. According to Intel, the continuation of Moore’s Law means the rate of progress in the semiconductor space will far surpass that of nearly all other industries. In fact, the future of Moore’s Law could deliver a magnitude of exponential capability increases – driving a fundamental shift in computing, networking, storage and communication devices.
Side channel attacks reportedly targeted Trusted Platform Modules
Security analysts reportedly explored how to extract private encryption keys from Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs) by “measuring electromagnetic signals emanating” from the chips. “This is what cryptographers call differential power analysis, a sophisticated side-channel attack in which spies use sensors or other devices to study the power consumption of a chip while it encrypts and decrypts information to extract the keys from it,” writes Motherboard’s Lorenzo Francheschi-Bicchierai.
Semiconductor market hit $336 billion in 2014
The World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) recently published its final semiconductor market figures for 2014. According to WSTS analysts, the global semiconductor market showed solid growth of almost 10% up to $336 billion in 2014 – driven primarily by the double-digit growth of memory (18.2%). Meanwhile, all other major product categories achieved positive growth rates, with discrete components pegged at 10.8% and analog hitting 10.6%.
Semiconductor Engineering goes 1:1 with Steven Woo
Ernest Worthman of Semiconductor Engineering recently interviewed Steven Woo, a VP and distinguished inventor at Rambus. The two discussed the numerous challenges facing the rapidly evolving Internet of Things (IoT), including security and low power sipping requirements. As Woo points out, security and privacy are critical topics, with a significant amount of concern being expressed over potential vulnerabilities in connected cars, homes and appliances.
