Inside Technologies

Inside Secure

Rambus Inc.

Gemplus Card International

Inside Contactless

Verimatrix, Inc.

Michel Martin

Jacek A Kowalski

Bruno Charrat

Jacques Stern

Eric Bouyoux

Olivier Carron

Claire Allard

Antoine Joux

In a general aspect, a countermeasure method implemented in a microcircuit can include selecting, at each cycle of a clock signal, a supply mode of a component internal to the microcircuit, the supply mode can be selected from among a first supply mode in which the component is fully supplied by a first supply circuit connected to a supply input of the microcircuit, and at least one second supply mode in which the component is at least partially supplied by a second supply circuit internal to the microcircuit. The second supply circuit can be isolated from the exterior of the microcircuit while it is supplying the component.

Countermeasures against an attack by analysis of electrical consumption for a cryptographic device

In a general aspect, an integrated circuit can include a network configured to detect fault-injection attacks on the integrated circuit, the network including a plurality of optical sensors. The integrated circuit can also include a surveillance flip-flop coupled with the network, the surveillance flip-flop being configured to signal a fault when one or more optical sensors of the plurality of optical sensors changes state. The integrated circuit can further include at least one inductive winding included in the network, the at least one inductive winding being configured to generate an induced voltage that causes switching of at least one optical sensor of the plurality of optical sensors when the at least one inductive winding is subjected to an electromagnetic flux capable of causing a fault-injection in the integrated circuit.

Countermeasures for fault-injection attacks by optical and electromagnetic pulses

A contactless data transmission device includes an antenna circuit supplying an alternating voltage in the presence of an alternating excitation field, a charge modulation transistor having a control terminal receiving a charge modulation signal having at least one low state and one high state, and a conduction terminal receiving the alternating voltage. The device includes a circuit for supplying a boosted direct voltage greater than a peak value of the alternating voltage supplied by the antenna circuit, and a circuit for applying to the control terminal of the charge modulation transistor a charge modulation signal which, in the high state, has a voltage level equal to the boosted direct voltage.

Method and device for transmitting data by charge modulation

A contactless integrated circuit includes means for sending/receiving data by inductive coupling, means for providing a communication according to at least two determined protocols, and means for automatically switching into a communication mode conforming to one or other of the protocols depending on the profile of a start of frame received at the beginning of a communication.

Contact-free integrated circuit having automatic frame identification means

A method for selecting an electronic module from a plurality of at least two modules (M M M ) capable of emitting messages simultaneously, includes the steps of sending a general query message (ACTIVALL) to the modules, and selecting (AFI, SELECT-ID) the module having responded first, the modules, on receiving a query message (ACTIVALL, ACTIV), determining a random time interval (P) and sending a responding message (ID, R) when the said time interval (P) has elapsed. A module is set in idle position (IDL) when it receives a message (MESS) before the time interval (P) preceding the sending of a response (ID, R) has elapsed. The idle position (IDL) is at least characterized by the fact that one module does not respond, subsequently, to a complementary query message (ACTIV). This invention is particularly useful for contactless smart card readers and for terminals for electronic labels.

Method of selecting an electronic module from a plurality of modules present in the interrogation field of a terminal

To reduce the risks of erroneous data writing into an electrically erasable and programmable non-volatile memory (10) (EEPROM) when a failure in the memory (10) voltage supply (Vcc) occurs during a programming or erasing operation, the memory (10) comprising means (30) of generating programming or erasing high voltage (Vpp), means (SW.sub.i, TI.sub.i,) are provided for maintaining the high voltage (Vpp) supply to the cells (C.sub.i,j) of the memory and capacity (Chv, CR.sub.2) of sufficient power to maintain the high voltage (Vpp) during the time required for the programming or erasing operation. The invention is useful particularly for EEPROM memories mounted on chip cards and electronic labels.

Electrically erasable and programmable non-volatile memory protected

The invention concerns an integrated circuit comprising a resonant circuit (L,20) for receiving by electromagnetic induction an alternating voltage (V.sub.ac), the resonant circuit comprising at least one capacitance (C1-Ci) switchable by means of a programmed switch (11), the switch comprising a circuit breaker (7), a memory cell (6) and a circuit (31, 32, 33, 42) for controlling the circuit beaker (7), the control circuit being supplied by the alternating voltage (V.sub.ac) and arranged for opening or closing the circuit breaker (7) depending on the programming or the erasing status of the memory cell (6).

Programmable switch, adjustable capacitance and resonant circuit

An integrated circuit (30) for non-contact operation by means of at least one coil (L) forming a tuned resonant circuit with a tuning capacitor (C.sub.A), including a charge pump (10) with two clock inputs (E.sub.1 E.sub.2), wherein the clock inputs (E.sub.1 E.sub.2) of the charge pump (10) are constantly connected to the terminals of the coil (L), at least during the periods of non-contact operation of the integrated circuit, whereby the charge pump, seen from the clock inputs thereof, is a constant component of the tuning capacitor of the tuned resonant circuit.

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Rognes, France

Michel Martin