Maxim Integrated Products DS28E50 authenticator IC

Designers are seeking to protect product integrity against aftermarket counterfeits and strengthen assurance that sensors inside these devices are genuine and not substandard clones. The DS28E50 DeepCover secure hash algorithm 3 (SHA3-256) authenticator IC, from Maxim Integrated Products, delivers the latest technology for challenge-and-response authentication, providing embedded system developers with the ability to prevent counterfeiting, aftermarket cloning and the unauthorised use of smart, connected industrial, medical and consumer devices.

The FIPS 202-compliant SHA3-256 implementation provides a way to implement secure challenge/response authentication to defend against counterfeiting and monitor or limit peripheral usage. The device also integrates Maxim’s ChipDNA physically unclonable function (PUF) technology to prevent the IC-level attacks that are routinely attempted on security ICs. With ChipDNA technology, which is derived from the naturally occurring random analog characteristics of fundamental MOSFET devices, secret keys that protect all DS28E50-stored data are generated only when needed and are never stored on the chip.

Single-contact, 1-Wire communication simplifies the interface to the end application. The IC includes secured EEPROM for end-application data with multiple configurable and irreversible memory-protection modes. No device-level firmware development is required (firmware is needed for the host-side microcontroller). In addition, a factory programming service is available for simplified secure key management.

The IC requires just 3.3 V, operates from -40 to +85°C, includes ±8 kV human-body model (HBM) electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection and is housed in a 6-pin, 3 x 3 mm TDFN package. It benefits applications that require effective crypto-secure challenge-and-response authentication for securing peripherals, sensor data, usage control and feature setting.