V&V Capabilities and Standards for Trust

Abstract

This project improves microelectronics test and verification methodologies in support of verifying trust of untrusted parts and develops standards/practices to foster commercial development of secure and trusted parts. Verification and test technologies are required to provide direct program support for microelectronics trust verification when DoD Trusted Foundry Program options are not available. Core technical laboratories have recently been chartered as a Joint Federated Assurance Center (JFAC) to provide this support. Out-year demands will require an increase in capacity, which will take the form of additional personnel and/or equipment to permit scaling of assessment capabilities. Challenges have been identified, to include the ability to analyze leading-edge technologies, throughput/time required for analysis, ability to analyze third-party IP contained in microelectronic components, and analysis of non-application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) components that are increasingly being used for agility, e.g., Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). This project addresses these gaps in current technical capabilities in a collaborative nature amongst the core technical laboratories, driven by projected and realized out-year demand. Three capability areas core to microelectronics analysis and verification will be improved: • Physical verification, i.e., destructive analysis of integrated circuits and printed circuit boards • Functional analysis, i.e., non-destructive screening/verification of select, critical parts • Design verification, i.e., verification/assurance of designs, IP, netlists, bitstreams, firmware, etc. These improvements will address two primary attributes: (1) technical capability including laboratory equipment, analysis tools, such as imaging software, and highly skilled tradecraft, and (2) the capacity to perform assessments. This project also develops standards and practices in support of assured designs and supply chains and formal relationships with industry to foster commercial development of secure, trusted, and assured parts and for acquisition of government access to proprietary designs, software, development, and quality assurance processes and test procedures to develop practices that minimize security flaws in designs and facilitate verification. Two capability areas that are core to improved commercial designs will be improved, i.e., assured designs and supply chains. Beginning in FY 2018, funding for this project has been transferred to BA 4 PE 0604294D8Z, P645, to accurately reflect execution of funds in support of the mission.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2019
• Source ID: 838_0605140D8Z_5_0400_PB_2019

Tags

Readers

• Cybersecurity.
• Integrated Circuit Design and Technology.
• Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.

Technology Areas

• Microelectronics