Anti-Tamper Physical Security for Electronic Hardware
Gore Anti-Tamper Technology: Protection from Physical Hackers for Crypto Keys, Critical Program Information, or Intellectual Property
Hackers are After:
Cryptographic Keys
Sensitive Algorithms
Stored Data
Microcode
"The greatest door lock in the world is ineffective if you have the key under the mat. With cryptographic keys so strong, why break them when they're so much easier to steal?"
-EDN Magazine, September 26, 2002
Anti-Tamper Physical Volume Protection
Electronic modules often store highly sensitive information. Communication devices store cryptographic keys, handhelds can store passwords and records, and embedded systems hold sensitive algorithms in memory. These devices can easily fall into the wrong hands.
Attackers have many ways to gain access to your information. Once inside, information stored in solid state memory can be read even if the device is inoperable. A proven means of defense is volume protection. A GORE™ Tamper Respondent Envelope can surround an entire module or just a few chips.
Gore's anti-tamper system surrounds the information storage module physically and electronically. It uses a matrix of conductive ink tracks to shield encryption codes and other sensitive data. If the enclosure is tampered with, critical data is automatically "zeroed out," rendering the data unusable. Systems are available with multi-level protection against physical intrusion such as puncture, chemical attacks, and laser penetration.
Supports Industry Government Standards Including PCI and NIST FIPS 140-2
GORE™ Tamper Respondent Technology has been developed to provide the highest levels of security. GORE™ Tamper Respondent Sensors and Enclosures detect and respond to physical attack, protecting against the theft of important data and encryption keys. More modules have been certified by government and industry authorities using GORE™ Tamper Respondent Technology than any other technology.
It's helpful to think of physical anti-tamper solutions as a hierarchy of sophistication.
GORE™ Tamper Respondent Technology has been developed to provide the highest levels of security.
GORE™ Tamper Respondent Technology supports industry standards including Payment Card Industry (PCI) Standards and National Bureau of Standards & Technology (NIST) requirements. PCI standards require that all new encrypting PIN pads must pass testing by a PCI-recognized laboratory. NIST has established a detailed set of requirements for the security of cryptographic hardware. This standard, FIPS 140-2, is recognized globally and many commercial end-users call for FIPS-certified products. Most FIPS 140-2 ,Level 4 certified products are protected with GORE™ Tamper Respondent Technology. The GORE™ Tamper Respondent Technology has also been validated to the requirements of German Banking Industry ZKA criteria in a number of encryption products.
Multi-Level Protection in a Space-Effective Package
The GORE™ Tamper Respondent Sensor is thin and highly flexible, and it can be creased. The sensor's unique materials and construction allow complete coverage of the storage device, providing a high level of protection against attack from any direction.
Features & Benefits
Maximum protection of critical data
Tamper-activated response
Complete encapsulation or selective protection
Easy to adopt, and adaptable to many configurations and formats
Low power consumption and simple sensing electronics
Proven in commercial volume applications
Applications
Highly secure wireless and wireline communications
Chip or board-level cryptographic security processors
Single board computers or embedded systems having sensitive algorithms
The GORE™ Tamper Respondent Sensor is thin and highly flexible, and it can be creased. The sensor's unique materials and construction allow complete coverage of the storage device, providing a high level of protection against attack from any direction.
