Flash programmer secures programming end-to-end

SEGGER's flash programmer for authenticated off-site production protects the firmware image at all stages of the provisioning process between IP owner and contract manufacturer. TELP secures the link from programmer to target and assures that captured signal traces cannot be used to clone devices by simply replaying the programming sequence: every device is programmed employing mutually-agreed, unique session keys for the encrypted link, and without those keys, the captured trace is worthless. Together, they ensure end-to-end IP security and protection against attacks.

IP owners and contract manufacturers alike benefit from having the owners in complete control of the programming process. The contract manufacturer never has access to the cleartext of a firmware image and gains the peace of mind of protecting IP from copying, cloning, and unauthorised production. The Flasher Secure/TELP solution delivers complete transparency, with IP owners able to seamlessly track the programming yield, device-specific data, programmer details, and much more. This unparalleled transparency is especially crucial when outsourcing production to third-party locations, supplying confidentiality unmatched in the market.

"Flasher Secure and TELP are redefining the standards of secure programming," says Ivo Geilenbruegge, managing director of SEGGER. "Together, they allow innovators to confidently bring their ideas to market, secure in the knowledge that their IP is protected all the way to the silicon."

This is the only solution currently available that supplies end-to-end security for the entire workflow, from firmware sign-off to final production, while delivering interfaces for quality assurance and warehouse management.

TELP can secure a wide range of microcontrollers and is particularly useful for protecting MCUs that do not come with built-in security features. The solution needs no special processors or pre-programming and no physical shipment.

Security is achieved using a combination of established and standardised cryptographic algorithms, cryptographically secure random number generators, and reliable key exchange algorithms.