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Microcontroller platform protects OTA firmware update security for IoT devices

Thu, Mar 25, 2021

A collaboration between Winbond, Nuvoton and Qinglianyun has resulted in a cloud-to-device platform to implement secure over the air (OTA) firmware updates in IoT devices.

Memory provider, Winbond Electronics, microcontroller manufacturer, Nuvoton, and security software developer, Qinglianyun have introduced a fully integrated reference design secured from the cloud to the device’s code storage memory.

The reference design provides a proven way to implement secure firmware updates on a secure and certified hardware and software, said the partners, to reduce the time it takes to develop new IoT devices. It can also help OEMs get to market faster with products for smart city, smart home, metering, industrial control, and other security-conscious applications.

The reference design is based on the Nuvoton M2351SF IoT security microcontroller, a multi-chip module consisting of the M2351 IoT security microcontroller and Winbond’s W77Q TrustME secure flash memory IC. The M2351 microcontroller is based on the Arm Cortex-M23 secure processor core with TrustZone technology. The module’s W77Q secure flash device is connected to the M2351 via an encrypted serial peripheral interface which resists sniffer attacks on data transferred between the two chips.

To provide a trusted execution environment (TEE) for secure OTA firmware updating operations and communications with the cloud, the M2351 runs Qinglianyun’s TinyTEE secure software stack in TrustZone-protected hardware. Using the 32Mbit secure storage provided by the W77Q, the reference design provides storage of secure and non-secure firmware and data, authenticated access control to ensure the integrity of firmware and data and rollback protection.

The TinyTEE software on the M2351 connects to Qinglianyun’s secure cloud service, which provides a full suite of IoT device management capabilities, such as device authentication, secure storage, encryption engine, and true random number generator, to comply with a Global Platform TEE standard interface.

This provides a secure chain of trust for the provision of OTA firmware updates from the cloud to the W77Q memory, with no vulnerability to remote attack or exposure of private data, added Winbond.

The W77Q helps ensure robust, end-to-end security in IoT devices by enabling secure storage, secure boot and root of trust, authenticated and encrypted data transfer between the flash device and the host, secure execute in place (XiP) of boot and application code and system resilience, by supporting the key security functions of protection, detection and recovery.

The M2351 microcontroller also offers secure bootloader, hardware cryptographic accelerators, execute-only memory and tamper detection pins

http://www.winbond.com

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SiTime enhances SiT8008 MEMS oscillator; multiples configuration options

Thu, Mar 25, 2021

Announcing that the SiT8008 low power MEMS oscillator can now operate between 1.62 and 3.63V, SiTime says the enhanced device can accelerates time to revenue, while simplifying inventory management for industrial and medical electronics development.

In addition to the expanded voltage range, the popular SiT8008 MEMS oscillator also includes additional programmable features such as frequency and drive strength programmability. The SiT8008 offers millions of possible configurations, adds SiTime. For example, industrial and medical applications such as factory automation, seismic sensing, and data acquisition all use many clock sources in a single system. These applications can benefit from its programmable features.

The MEMS oscillator is available from Digi-Key with short lead times. “Digi-Key is excited to offer additional value to our customers with custom programmed MEMS timing solutions from SiTime,” said David Stein, vice president of global supplier management at Digi-Key Electronics. “Customers can now order a continuous voltage option of the popular . . . SiT8008, programmed and [shipped] in as little as 48 hours,” he continued. The continuous voltage feature reduces qualification requirements across a customer’s various applications, enabling faster time-to-market, added Stein.

“Traditional oscillators are usually configured for specific frequencies and operation at one of 1.8, 2.5, or 3.3V voltages. Each configuration then requires a separate component qualification and will need to be stocked in inventory,” explained Piyush Sevalia, executive vice president of marketing at SiTime. “On the other hand . . . with the SiT8008 . . . if a customer uses multiple oscillator configurations, only one component qualification is required, reducing the time burden on valuable engineering resources. The SiT8008’s ability to operate at any voltage between 1.62V and 3.63V further simplifies system design – a customer can choose the voltage rail already available in the system rather than design a new one, which can also reduce component count.”

Along with continuous voltage operation, the SiT8008 also offers industry-leading resilience and reliability, a wide programmable frequency range with six decimals of accuracy, low power consumption, small package size, and short lead times, said SiTime.

Parts are available for sampling and in low-volume production quantities from Digi-Key now.

http://www.sitime.com

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Renesas addresses network synchronisation for 4G/5G radio

Wed, Mar 24, 2021

Communication timing options from Renesas Electronics now include three low phase noise, high frequency RF timing devices for 4G and 5G radio. The 8V19N850 radio synchroniser and 8V19N880, 8V19N882 JESD204B/C clock jitter attenuators deliver ITU-T-compliant network clock synchronisation. They are also claimed to have best-in-class phase noise and high clock frequency.

The 8V19N850 radio synchroniser is claimed to be the industry’s first integrated 5G radio synchronisation device. It is equipped with a complete set of features for radio synchronisation on a single chip, including full ITU-T G.8273.2 T-BC/T-TSC Class C, ITU-T G.8262.1 enhanced SyncE, and JESD204B/C compliance. The 8V19N850 also takes care of recovering the clock from CPRI/eCPRI, per IEEE 802.1cm front haul synchronisation requirements, making it suitable for use in emerging 5G O-RAN networks for radio units (O-RU).

The 8V19N880 and 8V19N882 JESD204B/C clock jitter attenuators deliver low phase noise. They offer jitter performance as low as 74fs RMS and -90dB spurious attenuation for mission-critical industrial data converter applications in wireless radio, test and measurement, instrumentation, and high performance imaging. They support frequencies up to 3932.16MHz (up to 6GHz with an external VCO) and feature 16 and 18 integrated differential outputs with low power consumption and 1.8V support.

The devices are also featured in Renesas’ two Winning Combinations, designed to address increasing demand for higher bandwidth for cellular services. The Small Cell Radio and MIMO Radio Combinations use mutually compatible devices for lower risk and faster time to market. They also showcase the combined benefits of the new RF timing ICs paired with Renesas’ complementary microcontroller and power management offerings to accelerate solution design.

The 8V19N850, 8V19N880 and 8V19N882 RF timing ICs are available now.

Renesas Electronics delivers semiconductors that enable billions of connected, intelligent devices to enhance the way people work and live. Its portfolio includes microcontrollers, analogue, power, and SoC products, for a broad range of automotive, industrial, Infrastructure, and IoT applications.

http://www.renesas.com

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Industry-wide partnerships result in SOSA-aligned development platform

Wed, Mar 24, 2021

Integration is accelerated with the Pentek Model 8256 3U VPX platform which has been developed with several partners and key contributors to the emerging SOSA (Sensors Open System Architecture) technical standard.

The Model 8256 VPX platform has the intelligent platform management interface (IPMI) and connectivity for RF and optical interfaces. The eight 3U VPX slots can be used for a variety of acquisition and processing modules. The Model 8256 is a ready-to-run development platform for Pentek’s Models 5550 and 5553 eight-channel A/D and D/A Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC processors. It can be used for application development with Pentek’s Quartz RFSoC data acquisition and processing boards.

Several Pentek partners and key contributors to the emerging SOSA Technical Standard are involved in the development of this platform. Pentek teamed up with Elma Electronic for backplane and system management components, Interface Concept for backplane switch modules, Concurrent Technologies for single board computer modules, and Crossfield Technology for IPMI and chassis management support; all specifically designed to be in alignment with the SOSA Technical Standard.

The Open Group SOSA Consortium created a common framework, the emerging SOSA Technical Standard, for sensor systems based on key interfaces and open standards established by industry-government consensus. The forthcoming SOSA Technical Standard implements numerous VITA standards that are reflected in the Pentek Model 8256 configuration which also takes advantage of several advanced features including cooling, platform system management and RF/optical interface options.

The Model 8256’s built-in forced-air cooling is designed to support conduction-cooled boards in a standard 19-inch rackmount profile chassis. This provides the convenience of development on conduction-cooled boards in a desktop or laboratory environment.

Pentek’s SOSA aligned development chassis uses VITA 46.11 and HOST-aligned chassis management module (CMM). This CMM is software upgradeable to the forthcoming SOSA v1.0 standards. SOSA-aligned systems will feature, and the CMM will enable, meaningful integration between the functional elements (SOSA modules) and the system manager, the CMM and every plug-in card (PIC).

Each RF payload slot in the Model 8256 can be optioned with 20 coaxial breakout connectors located on the back panel of the chassis providing direct connections to the VITA 67.3C backplane connector. In addition, each RF payload slot can be optioned with two rear panel MPO adapters to provide access to the VITA 67.3C dual optical interfaces.

Pentek said that customers can be up and running quickly because there are no initial start-up and configuration issues. To reduce the development effort and risk, Pentek offers integration assistance to select and configure modules.

The Model 8526 platform includes a backplane from Elma Electronic. Ken Grob, director of embedded computing, Elma Electronic, said “This SOSA-aligned development platform is delivered ready-to-use and tested, saving engineers much needed development time”.

Concurrent Technologies provided the single board computer. “The Model 8256 is an ideal development platform for Pentek’s Models 5550 and 5553 eight-channel A/D and D/A Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC 3U VPX processors in conjunction with our compute intensive TR H4x single board computer,” said Brent Salgat, president, Concurrent Technologies. The modules and platform are particularly suitable for radar, electronic warfare, signals intelligence, electro-optical and communications applications, added the company.

“The MOSA-aligned goals of the emerging SOSA Technical Standard go beyond common OpenVPX hardware slot profiles,” observed Terry Hulett, products general manager, Crossfield Technology. “To be truly interoperable with each other, the system software must have common access and interfaces into system management functions, he said. “Pentek’s Model 8256 development platform not only provides access to leading edge hardware, but does so with open-standards-based chassis management capabilities for just such common access.”

The Model 8256 is immediately available. Several options for Quartz RFSoC data acquisition and processing boards, RF and optical interconnections are possible. Pentek integration assistance is available to select and configure modules that are most appropriate for prototyping specific applications.

http://www.pentek.com

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Microcontroller platform protects OTA firmware update security for IoT devices

SiTime enhances SiT8008 MEMS oscillator; multiples configuration options

Renesas addresses network synchronisation for 4G/5G radio

Industry-wide partnerships result in SOSA-aligned development platform

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