Hardware Supply Chain Security and EM Tricks

This paper addresses the urgent need for developing technologies to ensure the trustworthiness, verifiability, and resilience of supply chains in the face of evolving threats. Specifically, the paper focuses on the importance of semiconductor supply chain security and the authentication of integrated circuit (IC) chips. The circulation of dubious IC chips is discussed, including the potential for counterfeit products to be disseminated among low-price markets and the presence of hardware Trojans (HTs). The paper proposes a three-pronged approach to ensure the authenticity of IC chips, including the reinforcement of semiconductor manufacturing capability, the deterrence of dubious semiconductor product distribution, and the development of assurance technologies for authentication of semiconductor products. The use of electromagnetic (EM) tricks to suppress counterfeits and HTs is also discussed, including the use of on-chip power current measurements and off-chip active EM wave sensing for electrical authentication of electronic systems. The paper concludes by emphasizing the importance of active scientific and technical contributions toward the development of trustworthy supply chains.