Date: 16/04/2009

32-bit security MCU for billing systems with NV SRAM memory for secret storage

Maxim Integrated Products has introduced a 32-bit RISC microcontroller MAXQ1850 for financial terminal market with some interesting security features. The MAXQ1850 integrates security supervisory features, advanced encryption acceleration, and 8KB of nonvolatile memory (NV SRAM) around a 32-bit MAXQ microcontroller core. This low pin count is suggested to use as a coprocessor in complex point-of-sale terminals or as the main microcontroller in encrypting PIN pad applications. The MAXQ1850 is also ideal for government applications and digital rights management.

Maxim says, The MAXQ1850's security mechanisms protect against both logical and physical attacks: encryption engines are resistant to side-channel attacks and cryptanalysis; environmental sensors protect against physical manipulation; and secure tamper triggers offer multiple options for application-specific tamper-detection circuits. Most important for secret key protection is the MAXQ1850's custom-designed, battery-backed nonvolatile NV SRAM-the best kind of memory for secret storage because it can be erased quickly in reaction to tampering.

Maxim claims, The MAXQ1850's combination of NV SRAM for secret storage, tamper-detection technology, and hardware encryption accelerators make it the best choice for financial terminal applications and any other application requiring security certifications such as PCI, FIPS 140-2, or Common Criteria. The MAXQ1850 thus drastically reduces the amount of board space required for the system microcontroller for applications that need 256KB of flash and 8KB of secure NV SRAM.

The advanced encryption is achieved in this MCU by using AES encryption accelerator. The hardware AES accelerator executes an encryption or decryption operation in all configurations in less than 200 cycles.

This security microcontroller has hardware acceleration support for several other advanced encryption algorithms, including the Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA-1, SHA-224, SHA-256), DES, 3DES, RSA (up to 2048-bit keys), DSA, and Elliptic Curve DSA (ECDSA).

Package: 6mm x 6mm, 40-pin TQFN and a 7mm x 7mm, 49-ball CSBGA
Operating Temperature range: Both 0°C to +70°C and -40°C to +85°C ranges
Availability: Now
Price: Each at $6.00 for 1K pieces (FOB USA).