New Standard Supports Ongoing Efforts to Combat Counterfeit Semiconductors

By EETimes

April 12, 2016

Semiconductor manufacturers recently reached agreement on a set of requirements, practices, and methods to reduce the risk of counterfeit parts entering the supply chain. The JEDEC standard (JESD243) marks an important step forward in the battle against counterfeit semiconductors, which pose a clear and immediate threat to public health and safety. JEDEC is the global leader in developing open standards for the microelectronics industry.

Counterfeit semiconductors can end up in critical consumer, industrial, medical and military devices, with potentially catastrophic consequences. In one particularly alarming example, a man named Peter Picone admitted to sending counterfeit semiconductors to the U.S. Naval Submarine Base in Connecticut, where the semiconductors were intended for use in nuclear submarines. Fortunately, in the Picone case, the counterfeits were identified before they found their way into critical military systems. Next time, we might not be so fortunate.

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