Tamper Proof, Tamper Evident Encryption Technology

Phil Isaacs, Thomas Morris Jr., and Michael J. Fisher
IBM Corporation
Rochester, MN, USA
Poughkeepsie, NY, USA

Keith Cuthbert
W. L. Gore & Associates
Dundee, Scotland

Hardly a week goes by where there isn't a report of cybercrime having occurred. So much so that there is a special branch of the FBI established to address the many forms of Cyber-Crime. While the internet is convenient for many regular on-line activities, for example: Information searches, goods purchasing, sales, airline and hotel reservations, banking, bill-pay, driving directions and telephone/address look-up. It is the ease at which this information is so readily available that makes it vulnerable to attack.

One solution would be to completely isolate the computer applications. However, most applications cannot perform their function in isolation. In order to prevent cyber crimes from occurring on server level products, IBM and Gore have collaborated on a state-of-the-art physical security package to protect the hardware components of a cryptographic coprocessor module.

This package meets the highest level of physical security requirements contained in the U.S. Government Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 Security Requirements for Cryptographic Modules- (Level 4), and supports the overall attainment of FIPS 140-2 (Level 4) for the cryptographic coprocessor. This is the highest level of encryption technology which is allowed outside of the government or military. The packaging technology includes tamper response where any attempt at physically gaining access would render the cryptographic module useless.

This paper will provide an overview of the protection features of the assembly and the manufacturing processes used to manufacture the product.

The combination of a sensor mesh and monitoring circuitry provides an environment that protects sensitive data from cyber theft. It is manufactureable and reliable both in preventing undesired access and its longevity in the field.