Issue link: https://resources.mouser.com/i/1442760
Mouser asked Gregory Guez and Scott Jones to answer the following data security question: Everybody's definition of "secure products" and "security built- in" are different. What does "security built-in" mean for your company's hardware products? Here's what Maxim Integrated had to say: Maxim has been active in the embedded security market for over 25 years, initially building products to protect one of the most critical and challenging security applications—credit card payment systems. That same expertise has subsequently been applied to products serving many other markets. For example, Maxim secure integrated circuits (ICs) ensure medical consumables are genuine so that patient safety is not compromised. They provide assurance that battery packs are charged properly and won't explode, protecting consumers from harm. They validate sensor data so that control systems receive trusted information and can make correct decisions. For Maxim, "security built-in" means that we provide products that allow our customers to develop an immutable and reliable "root of trust." Software can be modified, while the hardware read-only memory (ROM) in our chips cannot. The most secure solutions are based on an unalterable ROM that can be unequivocally trusted. Once that root of trust is established at the base level using Maxim secure ICs, additional firmware, software, or other applications can be added. That level of trust can be extended upward because each layer inherits a trust level from the layer below. Taking shortcuts that only consider security at the firmware or application layer provides numerous ways for hackers to attack such a system and subvert intended operation by modifying the underlying hardware, firmware, or software. Security is a complex topic, and threats are constantly changing and escalating. Companies are often overwhelmed with the array of choices and the challenges of implementing a truly secure system, frequently giving up and doing nothing or implementing something that is trivial to defeat. Although Maxim's security 9 | 9 | Maxim Integrated Gregory Guez, Executive Director, Secure Micros Gregory Guez is Executive Director of the Secure Micros product line at Maxim Integrated, where he leads the team responsible for the company's payment- grade and cryptographic microcontrollers. Gregory joined Maxim in 2009 following the acquisition of Innova Card, and lived in Hong Kong for six years managing the secure microcontroller business in Asia. With 20 years of experience in security, he also held positions as Field Applications Engineer at Inside Secure and Applications Manager at Atmel in charge of the Smartcard Products. Gregory holds a Master's Degree in Electronic Systems from Polytech ® Marseille (France). " " Q A Session with Maxim's Embedded Security Experts &