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.
Security
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.
Will security concerns slow IoT growth?
Writing for Semiconductor Engineering, Ed Sperling confirms the industry is now in “full pursuit” of the Internet of Things (IoT). “In fact, what started as a trickle has turned into something that more closely resembles Niagara Falls,” Sperling opines. “This is particularly true for the so-called Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), where smart sensors on a factory floor already are saving money and predicting potential problems, such as assembly line shutdowns, well ahead of those events.”
CryptoFirewall ASIC security cores integrated into 65 chipsets
Designed by the Rambus Cryptography Research Division (CRD), self-contained CryptoFirewall™ (CF) ASIC cores offer a secure hardware-based root-of-trust for content protection applications. According to Cynthia Yu, a Rambus CRD director, CryptoFirewall ASIC security cores have been integrated into at least 65 chipsets, including those manufactured by Ali, ST, MStar, Broadcom, Entropic and ViXS.
U.S. DoD eyes 3D printing
Writing for Military Embedded Systems, Editorial Director John McHale confirms 3D printing has made its way into the military embedded computing realm, with suppliers exploiting the technology to accelerate production and reduce development costs. “They can save thousands of dollars by printing heat sinks, connectors, components and even printed circuit boards,” he explained.
Will authentication evolve beyond the basics?
Writing for The Guardian, journalist Andy Meek questions if increasing cyber attacks ultimately mean the end of username and password security. “The username and password has long been the basic set of authentication credentials that grants access into computer and web-based systems and networks,” he explains.
