Defensive Hardware Product Security

Peculiar Security stands at the forefront of secure hardware systems, boasting a rich legacy in designing and fortifying systems spanning from limited-life medical devices to those embedded within untrusted user environments. Partnering with us ensures a ground-up secure product development or fortifying existing products against unauthorized access and potential attackers.

Whether the task at hand involves securing a disposable medical device or hardening an embedded system running proprietary code, our expertise shines through. We delve into understanding the potential challenges posed by would-be attackers, collaborating closely with clients to craft a resilient environment that not only meets their specific requirements but also robustly safeguards their intellectual property.

But what sets security-oriented development apart from standard product development? At its core, it pivots the thinking from "how will this system function?" to "how could this functionality be misused?" A system conceived without a security-first mindset might inadvertently incorporate features that prioritize ease of development, potentially laying bare vulnerabilities.

A hallmark of a robust system is its layered defense, ensuring no singular point of vulnerability. Such defense-in-depth dissuades attackers by increasing their uncertainty about the effort and resources required to compromise the system. Peculiar Security champions this multi-tiered security strategy, maintaining an up-to-date understanding of both defensive and offensive security methodologies. We are well aware that advanced attacks, such as IC decapping to circumvent read protections, differential power analysis, or glitching, can be surprisingly affordable, posing significant threats to unprepared systems.

Moreover, side-channel attacks, which defy traditional security conventions and product development principles, necessitate intricate countermeasures. For instance, the RSA algorithm can be vulnerable to timing attacks or induced faults, potentially revealing secret keys. Such potential breaches underscore the need for a cohesive and secure chain of trust across the system. All components, from limited-life medical devices to their consoles, must be fortified, verified, and anchored to a root of trust embedded within the hardware.

Peculiar Security emphasizes the danger of using shared cryptographic keys across devices. Any secret data dispatched into the field should be distinct for each device, eliminating the systemic risk if one device's security is compromised.

Standards and Resources: Peculiar Security also stays abreast with the latest industry standards, including but not limited to:

• ISO/IEC 19790:2012: Focusing on cryptographic module security within sensitive information protection systems.

• ISO/IEC 17825:2016 & 15408-1:2009: Providing metrics and principles for IT security evaluation.

• Common Weakness Scoring System (CWSS) and Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS): Tools to evaluate and score vulnerabilities.

• Joint Interpretation Library, CC Common Criteria, and Evaluation Assurance Level: Critical resources for IT product security evaluation (Common Criteria Portal, NIAP-CCEVS).

• NIST Handbooks: Serving as benchmarks for IT security testing and requirements.

In the evolving landscape of defensive hardware product security, Peculiar Security stands as a beacon of trust, expertise, and resilience.