Systems and methods for using a security circuit to monitor a voltage of an integrated circuit to counter security threats to the integrated circuit

摘要

One embodiment, having a corresponding method, features an integrated circuit comprising: a power supply terminal configured to receive electrical power; a core circuit powered by the electrical power, wherein the core circuit comprises a volatile memory configured to store data; a clock source configured to provide a clock signal at a selected frequency, wherein the selected frequency is one of a plurality of possible frequencies of the clock signal, and a processor configured to operate according to the clock signal; and a security circuit configured to reset the core circuit based on the selected frequency of the to clock signal and a voltage of the power supply terminal, wherein resetting the core circuit clears the data from the volatile memory.

主权项

1. An integrated circuit comprising:
a power supply terminal configured to receive a voltage; a core circuit configured to be powered by the voltage received by the power supply terminal, wherein the core circuit comprises
a volatile memory configured to store data,a clock source configured to provide a clock signal at a selected frequency, wherein the selected frequency is one of a plurality of possible frequencies of the clock signal, each of the plurality of possible frequencies being associated with a different respective allowed voltage range, anda processor configured to operate according to the clock signal at the selected frequency; and a security circuit configured to reset the core circuit based on a comparison between i) the respective allowed voltage range associated with the selected frequency of the clock signal and ii) the voltage received at the power supply terminal, wherein resetting the core circuit clears the data from the volatile memory.