"Protecting Hardware from Software Attacks"

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) System Security Integration Through Hardware and Firmware (SSITH) program aims to develop Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) hardware with new protections that can mitigate software attacks on hardware. DARPA's SSITH program delves into hardware security architectures and tools capable of protecting electronic systems against common types of hardware vulnerabilities exploited through software in order to break the endless cycle of software patch-and-pray. Until now, research on the program has focused on developing approaches and proving a concept that system-on-chip designers can use to limit computer hardware to secure states while preserving performance and power. Following thorough testing and evaluation, researchers have demonstrated that SSITH concepts provide strong hardware protections against Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classes of hardware vulnerabilities. The SSITH program is now in the final stage, focusing on transitioning the proven concepts from lab discoveries to practical applications. The team from Lockheed Martin Corporation is moving beyond virtual processors. They want to develop ASIC hardware that combines a dual-core Arm processor and multiple peripheral interfaces with embedded security capabilities provided by their SSITH approach called Hardware Architecture Resilience by Design (HARD). This article continues to discuss the SSITH program and the proven SSITH approach known as HARD. 

Homeland Security News Wire reports "Protecting Hardware from Software Attacks"