Cycuity Collaborates with SiFive and BAE Systems to Demonstrate Advanced Microelectronics Design Supply Chain Security

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Cycuity, a leader in hardware security solutions, has collaborated with SiFive and BAE Systems to deliver increased, evidence-based security assurance for third-party intellectual property (IP) in a cost-effective and repeatable manner. The use of third-party IP can introduce potential system-level security vulnerabilities due to its high configurability and programmability. Verifying the highest levels of assurance for third-party IP components is important to safeguarding microelectronics.

The three-way collaboration was helpful in validating a scalable framework based on Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE). Cycuity’s Radix product creates a “security digital twin” of an IP block which can then be re-verified by a system-on-chip (SoC) integrator at the block and full chip levels to provide assurance of the third-party IP. Cycuity’s Radix technology was successfully demonstrated through the integration, configuration, and generation of verifiable security evidence of SiFive’s Intelligence™ X280 RISC-V processor within a BAE Systems’ radiation-hardened SoC.

“We have demonstrated how Cycuity is solving a key challenge in ensuring robust security across the design lifecycle and across organizational and company boundaries,” said Jason Oberg, CTO at Cycuity. “Working to build out a secure third-party IP ecosystem aligns with our commitment to develop resilient microelectronics for defense and commercial applications.”

“The demonstration of RISC-V processors as a robust and secure choice for SoC developers, underscores our commitment to innovation and security. By utilizing Radix to validate secure integration and configuration of IP, developers can be empowered to innovate faster while enhancing the usability and effectiveness of third-party IP,” stated John Ronco, SiFive VP of Product.

This evidence-based framework is designed to meet the strict security requirements of industries where trust and reliability are paramount. “Today’s defense and commercial systems must meet the increasing need for traceable security assurances across the microelectronics ecosystem,” said Gayatri Perlin, Secure by Design Group Lead at BAE Systems’ FAST Labs™ research, development, and production organization. “By focusing on design- and application-specific security requirements, we can test, implement, and deliver our products with the confidence that third-party IP remains secure, which is key for fulfilling Department of Defense standards.”