The Southwest Advanced Prototyping (SWAP) Hub, based at Arizona State University, has been awarded nearly $7.8 million in funding by the CHIPS and Science Act for an innovative project led by Idaho Scientific to develop the ARC-V Secure Processor. The project aims to address security vulnerabilities in modern IoT (Internet of Things) devices, creating a more secure and efficient solution for both military and commercial applications.
The project’s primary objective is to create a secure, low-power processor that allows the military to confidently deploy advanced systems, even in contested environments, that rely on powerful but vulnerable commercial electronics.
“With this new processor, we’re empowering the military to use smaller, more efficient devices while taking a huge leap ahead on built-in security functionality,” said Dan Herway, Executive Vice President at Idaho Scientific, “The ARC-V Secure Processor will ensure our men and women in uniform remain safe and can rely on their technology in the field, whether they’re using radios, radars, or any number of connected devices critical to modern warfare.”
The secondary objective is to develop a customer reference design and software development kit that allows both commercial and military users to evaluate the performance and security features of the ARC-V Secure Processor. The ARC-V Secure Processor uses existing commercial tools and processors but provides security protections nearly invisible to software developers, chip designers and system users. This will make it easier for other industries to adopt the technology in the future.
The IoT revolution has introduced vast networks of interconnected devices—from smartphones and smart home systems to critical military equipment. However, commercial IoT devices currently lack robust security features, making them vulnerable to cyberattacks, exposing sensitive Department of Defense (DoD) information. Hackers can exploit imperfect software to take control of devices or reverse-engineer them, threatening national security.
“We use tiny computer processors every day in our phones, cars, and to get utilities to our homes,” said Herway. “The root of the cyber problem is these processors execute any instruction they receive, whether it’s from a legitimate source or a hacker. The ARC-V Secure Processor project is about fixing this flaw. We’re creating a processor that distinguishes between good and bad instructions in real-time, at the point of use. The days of “patch and pray” software are over. A bad guy might have access to your device but if you do hardware security right, it won’t matter. If you do hardware security elegantly, the vast majority of the public will never even know it’s there protecting you.”
Led by Idaho Scientific, the project is a collaboration of industry leaders, including Synopsys, BAE Systems, Mercury Computer, and Arizona State University. Idaho Scientific is integrating its Helios secure processing technology with the Synopsys ARC-V IoT processor family, a proven technology that offers flexibility for a wide range of applications. Synopsys is a global leader in developing embedded processors, and the ARC-V family, announced in November 2023, provides a low-power, high-performance foundation for IoT devices. Mercury Computer will provide onshore packaging for the ARC-V Secure Processor chip and BAE Systems will ensure military use.
While this initiative is primarily focused on military use, the technology has far-reaching implications for the commercial sector. When the ARC-V Secure Processor becomes available for commercial use, it will be a game-changer for industries that depend on confidential computing and protecting sensitive data, such as data servers, healthcare, banking, and telecommunications.
Krishnendu Chakrabarty, chief technology officer of the SWAP Hub and the Fulton Professor of Microelectronics at Arizona State University, says the collaboration is critical for the field of secure computing.
“We are fortunate to have Idaho Scientific in the lead and we are extremely excited about what the partners on this project bring together and the applications for the work they are doing that has both national security and commercial applications,” Chakrabarty said. “This project represents an ideal example of how the SWAP Hub’s collaborative environment advances microelectronics technology to improve U.S. national defense.”
This is one of five project awards to the SWAP Hub, part of the CHIPS and Science Act-funded Microelectronics Commons, a network of regional technology hubs. It connects the Southwest — the fastest-growing and largest semiconductor cluster in the United States with more than $100 billion in private investment — to a growing network of defense and electronics partners across the country. The SWAP Hub is one of eight U.S. DOD Microelectronics Commons Hubs across the country dedicated to advancing technology for national security.