Board security enhancement using new locking SIB-based architectures

Circuit boards are especially vulnerable to security attacks. Many routes and pins can be probed directly. Other pins may be controlled and observed through the JTAG boundary scan port. The JTAG port may also provide access to each chip's internal scan chains. Furthermore, modern chips may include embedded instruments that can be accessed through the chip's JTAG port and an internal IEEE P1687 scan network. If accessed by an attacker, these instruments may allow data to be leaked from the chips themselves or allow the attacker to drive other chips on the board. Finally, FPGA firmware is often stored in on-board memories and must be protected to prevent IP theft. In this paper, we describe some of the security issues facing boards. We then describe new chip access protocols that harness the use of licensed software and locking segment insertion bits (LSIBs) for secure Chip ID extraction. These methods enable authorized access while helping to prevent unauthorized access and counterfeiting of chips and IP on the board.