The Growing Importance of Cybersecurity in IC Chips

IC chips are always at the core of today’s digital world. Every type of innovative technology is powered and driven by integrated circuits. Think the tiniest wearable devices to the largest industrial machines. You will find them everywhere.  As the demand for semiconductors keeps rising over the years, the pressure has always been on the manufacturers to develop reliable chips.  One area that cannot be forgotten during the IC manufacturing process is security. There is always a dire need to design and develop highly secure integrated circuits. This is where the importance of cybersecurity in IC chips comes in.

Cybersecurity encompasses everything that is geared toward preserving the integrity of integrated circuits. The chips should be able to function perfectly as they are required to do without any form of compromise. If it is a memory chip, it should ensure that unauthorized people cannot access data. Many other application areas illustrate the importance of cybersecurity in IC chips. Keep reading as we break down in detail why in recent years there has been a growing need for cybersecurity in semiconductor chips.

Understanding the hardware vulnerability of OC chips

When it comes to cybersecurity, most of us are familiar with software vulnerabilities. Probably you have been a victim of hacking or any other type of cybersecurity threat on your software. Do you know that hardware devices are also prone to cyber-attacks?

The complexity of semiconductor chips may make it difficult to detect different forms of hardware vulnerabilities.  A typical IC chip comprises of thousands, if not millions of semiconductor components. An average user of this piece of hardware device may find it difficult to detect any form of threat. Unlike software vulnerabilities that are easily detected even in time, this is not the case for hardware security threats. It may take some time to detect a well-orchestrated hardware vulnerability. Even by the time the threat is detected, the damage may already have been done.

One way of dealing with such vulnerabilities is to implement cybersecurity measures on the semiconductor chips.  Once this is done, you will be able to focus on other aspects of cybersecurity.

Drivers of  cybersecurity in IC chips

While cybersecurity in semiconductor chips has always been an important topic,  it has been gaining more attention in recent years. There is a growing concern among all the players in the industry about the state of cybersecurity in semiconductor chips. Various factors are attributed to be behind this growing concern. Let’s look at some of them.

High demand for tech products

At the top of the list is the high demand for products that rely on integrated circuits. Buyers in the electronic market are always on the lookout for the next product that has high-end features. On the other hand, device manufacturers are always under intense pressure to produce such products. Additionally, we are in living a digital age where everything is run by electronic devices that are powered by semiconductor components.

With the massive usage of technological products, security will always be of the essence. Chip manufacturers are required to upgrade security measures on their chips. Security is just one of the essential features that most buyers are looking for when buying devices. They are likely to buy devices that meet the highest cybersecurity standards. Since the trend is likely to continue for years, there will be a constant evolution in the importance of cybersecurity in ICs.

Emerging technology trends

Beyond the demand for tech products, emerging trends are also among the key drivers for cybersecurity in IC chips. Numerous trends have made it necessary for chip manufacturers to include top-notch security features in their products.

Miniaturization is one of the trends. Electronic devices and products are increasingly becoming smaller. They are also highly portable. This forces chip manufacturers to design security features that will meet the needs of such  IC chips.

Expanded connectivity is another common trend that characterizes modern technology. Most modern devices are connected via networks. Given the vulnerability that is created by networking, IC chip manufacturers are left with no other option but to upgrade security features on their chips. For example, the 5G network supports fast data transfer speeds.  Semiconductor chip makers are required to upgrade the security features of these chips to meet the demands of the network.

Semiconductor industry trends

Activities and events in the semiconductor industry have influenced the growing importance of cybersecurity in IC chips. Here, we are talking about the activities such as designing, manufacturing, and marketing integrated circuits.

Many things have happened in the semiconductor manufacturing industry. One of them is globalization. IC chips are no longer manufactured or assembled in one location. Instead, manufacturers have shifted to areas that attract low production costs where they can easily source raw materials. Additionally, companies have different manufacturing facilities that are located in different countries. Each facility is required to implement a specific task

For globalization to be effective, there is a need to implement high levels of security. IC chips are embedded with security features to support a secure manufacturing process in a global setup.

Geopolitical trends

It is impossible to avoid the issue of geopolitical whenever a discussion of cybersecurity is raised. There have always been differences between countries regarding matters of security. These rifts have extended to semiconductor manufacturing and distribution.  Countries cannot trust one another regarding the security of chips, especially when they are trading with each other on these components. There have been accusations of spyware and other malware that have been embedded into semiconductor components.

To avert such issues, high-level chip cybersecurity measures have been developed to verify the security of the IC chips. Buyers have to ensure that the chips are devoid of any programs that could mine critical data from organizations.

Evolution of the financial world

The global financial sector has undergone some major evolution. It has shifted from physical hard currencies to digital currencies. Electronic devices and products are used for handling such currencies. When it comes to money, security must be prioritized.  Chip manufacturers are required to implement high-level security measures to secure the finances in the digital platforms. This ensures that all the holders and users of digital wallets can conduct transactions without worrying about the security of their finances.  The growth of online shopping over the years has also made it necessary to upgrade security features on the integrated circuits. 

Protection of intellectual property

The need to protect intellectual property is among the key drivers of the growth of cybersecurity in IC chips. Generally, there have been a series of innovations over the years and in different fields. Designers and manufacturers have always been introducing new products into the market.  Competition from other manufacturers is always inevitable.   The best way of preventing competitors from copying your ideas is by securing data about the innovation that you are working on. This is where the importance of cybersecurity in integrated circuits comes in.

Strict cybersecurity measures are deployed to prevent theft of the intellectual data about a product. Of course, this is done among many other policies that a company that a company uses to protect its data. These measures are also used to protect against counterfeits. They ensure that final buyers get genuine original products straight from manufacturers.

Cybersecurity in the IC chip supply chain

Cybersecurity measures are not only implemented during the manufacturing of the semiconductor chips.  It extends to the suppliers and distributors of these chips. There are various ways in which chip manufacturers ensure that distributors don’t compromise the security of their products. One of the ways is by authorizing reputable distributors to supply their IC chips. This way, they can track the movement of their products straight from the producers to the consumers. Similarly, buyers are encouraged to buy from authorized and reputable IC chip suppliers.  This is the surest way of getting semiconductor chips whose security features have not been tampered with.

Achieving trust

The end game of cybersecurity in the semiconductor chip industry is winning trust from all spectrums. With the implementation of strict security features, consumers will fully trust the chips and the devices that are powered by the chips. They won't have to worry about possible attacks or even loss of data.   Beyond the manufacturers,  all the players in the industry, including the consumers are encouraged to be keen on semiconductor chip security. 

Conclusion

The implementation of cybersecurity starts with the hardware of electronic devices. This is because once the hardware is penetrated, everything else will be compromised. Since semiconductor chips are the backbone of electronic devices, the implementation of security measures should start on these small but vital devices.

We have just looked at the relevance of cybersecurity on IC chips and why it deserves your full attention. As someone who is planning to buy the chips for your products, it is your full responsibility to ensure that they meet the highest security standards. Ask the IC chip distributors about the security of the chips. At Rantle East Electronic, we are committed to distributing IC chips that meet the highest security standards. Our technical team is well-versed in analyzing and assessing the cybersecurity features embedded in semiconductor chips.