Paige West interviews Chris Morrison, Vice President of Product Marketing at Agile Analog, to discuss the increasing importance of tamper detection in security-focused electronic designs.
As threats to electronic systems grow across sectors such as automotive, IoT, industrial, and defence, Morrison provides expert insights into why protecting systems from physical and side-channel attacks has become a critical design priority.
Morrison begins by introducing his background in mixed-signal and analog design, having worked at companies like Dialog Semiconductor and Linn Products before joining Agile Analog. He explains that Agile Analog was founded to transform analog design by leveraging automation tools similar to those that revolutionised digital design decades ago. Their proprietary tool, Composa, enables the rapid and customisable design of analog IP blocks, which are then licensed to customers across various process nodes.
The conversation then moves on to discuss the growing need for tamper detection and prevention. Morrison notes that while anti-tamper IP was relatively uncommon just a few years ago, new legislation – such as the European Union’s Cyber Resilience Act – has made it a top priority for designers. The proliferation of IoT devices in critical infrastructure means that a single compromised device can have far-reaching consequences, making robust security essential. Morrison outlines the most common tamper threats, particularly those involving physical access to devices. These include voltage and clock glitching attacks, where attackers manipulate power or clock signals to bypass security, and electromagnetic field induction, which can disrupt device operation or extract sensitive data. He cites real-world examples, such as a documented hack of a Raspberry Pi device where a supply glitch exposed secure memory contents, and an electromagnetic attack that compromised a USB-C authenticator chip in Apple’s ecosystem. These cases highlight the sophistication of modern attacks and the need for comprehensive protection.
To counter these threats, Morrison explains how analog IP blocks like clock attack monitors and glitch detectors work. These sensors monitor sensitive nodes within a device and can rapidly detect abnormal conditions, triggering responses such as system resets or alerts to root-of-trust modules. The analog approach offers finer granularity and faster response times than digital-only solutions, making it harder for attackers to succeed. Morrison emphasises that while digital security measures are important, they are increasingly insufficient on their own as attack tools become more advanced and standards more stringent. Integration of tamper detection IP does come with trade-offs, particularly in terms of silicon area and power consumption, but Morrison notes that Agile Analog and its competitors strive to minimise these impacts. He also observes that while some companies are now considering tamper detection early in the design cycle, others are scrambling to retrofit solutions in response to new regulations and emerging threats.
Morrison predicts that tamper detection technology will need to become even faster, more power-efficient, and capable of detecting a wider range of sophisticated attacks, including those involving physical modification of chips. Agile Analog is actively developing new sensors to address these evolving threats. Morrison concludes by stressing the importance of valuing security before an attack occurs, noting that legislation is helping to shift industry attitudes. He encourages listeners to prioritize security integration early in the design process and to stay informed about the latest developments in electronic security.
To hear more from Chris Morrison, you can listen to Electronic Specifier’s interview on Spotify or Apple podcasts.
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