Infrastructure Supporting Logic Locking

Logic locking is a technique used in the IC supply chain to protect intellectual property and integrated circuits from unauthorized access. However, relying solely on logic locking techniques (circuitry) as a security mechanism is not enough to fully protect against potential threats. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a secure infrastructure, modify the IC supply chain, and integrate effective countermeasures to prevent IP piracy, IC overproduction, and reuse. To achieve complete trust between all parties involved in the SoC design and fabrication process, several studies have investigated the necessary steps and components to be taken. These steps include establishing a secure and trustworthy supply chain, implementing logic locking techniques, and incorporating security and trust validation at each stage of the design flow. By doing so, it is possible to ensure that every entity involved in the process is trustworthy and can be relied upon to maintain the confidentiality and integrity of the intellectual property. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of these fundamentals required to establish complete trust in the SoC design and fabrication process through the use of logic locking. The chapter covers topics such as secure design practices, trusted manufacturing processes, and secure provisioning and deployment methods. By following these guidelines, designers and manufacturers can ensure that their intellectual property is protected from unauthorized access and that their products are not subject to overproduction or reuse.