Compact Processor for Security

Enhanced security is becoming essential as IoT devices find their way in to home automation and wearable applications. In addition to security, these applications demand low power consumption and high performance to handle compute intensive functions such as processing sensor data and wireless protocol stacks. The Andes Technology S8 processor is a new CPU core architecture based on the compute engine in the N8 core, but with added functionality to address security from hacking. The secure memory protection unit (MPU) at the center of the S8 strictly protects the execution and access according to multiple security levels. S8 also provides functions not found on competing 32-bit CPU core offerings: data and address scrambling and differential power analysis protection. The first defends against hacks that target the interface between CPU and memory. The second guards against hacking the program by observing the power use signature of the CPU.

• Secure MPU against memory tampering
• Shields against side-channel attack
• Secure debug for multi-party software development
• Flexible configurations and run-time control

• Performance
  • 16-/32-bit mixable instruction format for compacting code density
  • Low-latency vectored interrupt for real-time performance
  • Secure MPU & secure debugging support for code and data protection
  • Completion of most 32-bit operations in one cycle
  • Single-cycle capable for most Local Memory and AHB bus accesses
  • FlashFetch™ technology to accelerate internal parallel and/or external SPI flash memory
• Flexibility
  • All-C Embedded Programming
  • Support boot-up from Instruction Local Memory
  • Processor state bus to simplify SoC design and debug
• Power Management
  • Extensively clock-gated pipeline
  • Low power modes initiated by SW or SoC

• Smart card
• Memory card
• Health card
• Access card
• Passport
• Driving license
• Telephone card
• Library card