Silicon Laboratories Inc.
System and method for ensuring integrity and confidentiality of data programmed in an insecure manufacturing environment

Abstract:

A system and method of downloading firmware into an embedded device while maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of the firmware is disclosed. In one embodiment, the process comprises four phases. In the first phase, unauthenticated content is written into the memory of the embedded device. In the second phase, this content is verified. In the third step, a secure connection is established between the host and the embedded device. In the fourth step, the firmware is loaded into the embedded device using this secure connection. The firmware is encrypted as it is transferred from the host to the embedded device and is never accessible outside of the embedded device.