Microchip Technology Inc. has announced the launch of its latest TrustAnchor Security IC, the TA101, responding to the heightened security demands in the automotive industry. This release aligns with the increasing connectivity and technological advancements witnessed in vehicles, alongside the emergence of new cybersecurity regulations from both government bodies and automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
The TA101 Security IC aims to address these evolving requirements by accommodating complex automotive and embedded security use cases. It supports larger key sizes, up to ECC P521, SHA512, RSA-4K, and AES256, exceeding current standards while offering flexibility for future adaptations. Emphasizing its backward compatibility for smaller keys, the TA101 boasts enhanced security strength, surpassing current benchmarks.
Designed specifically for automotive, data center, and industrial applications, the TA101 operates as a cryptographic companion device, collaborating with microcontrollers (MCUs) or microprocessors (MPUs). It manages critical cryptographic functions, including public key infrastructure, certificate management, and secure key storage requirements. Notably, this security IC facilitates various functions such as easy patch updates, message authentication, Transport Layer Security (TLS), secure boot, High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), firmware updates, security upgrades, transfer of ownership, key management, and WPC Qi 1.3 authentication.
Nuri Dagdeviren, the corporate vice president of Microchip’s Secure Computing Group, highlighted the significance of staying ahead in security measures: “It is critically important for OEMs to not only comply with current standards but to stay a step ahead when it comes to security.” Dagdeviren emphasized the TA101’s contribution to providing robust key strength diversity for current and future applications.
The TA101 presents an alternative architecture for in-vehicle networking management, offering an off-chip component for secure boot and message authentication. Its compatibility with a wide range of MCUs or MPUs enables flexible solutions that potentially reduce costs and time to market for manufacturers.
Additionally, the TA101 includes the Commercial National Security Algorithm (CNSA) required 1.0 suite of algorithms and the ed25519 curve within a single IC. This pre-programmed and pre-provisioned device, certified under Microchip Common Criteria ALC_DVS.2, aims to reduce risks associated with secure code development and implementation.
To support development, Microchip offers the CryptoAuth Trust Platform Development Kit and various TA101 socket boards featuring a mikroBUS connector. These tools facilitate development for SAM MCUs and can be integrated into industry-standard operating systems or customized software stacks using Microchip’s CryptoAuthentication Library. The TA101 is priced starting at $1.60 each in 10,000-unit quantities.
