Atmel Secures Portable Electronic Devices with Introduction of Low Power Cryptographic Battery Authentication IC with SHA-256

San Jose, California (ots/PRNewswire) -

- SRAM-based key storage ensures keys are permanently destroyed
if IC is removed from battery

Atmel(R) Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML) announced today its
AT88SA100S
(http://www.atmel.com/products/cryptoauthentication/default.asp )
ultra low-cost, cryptographic battery authentication IC for
mobile-phones, cameras, portable power tools, and other
battery-powered applications.

The AT88SA100S CrytpoAuthentication(TM) IC is the only battery
authentication IC that uses a SHA-256
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sha_256 ) cryptographic engine and a
256-bit key that cannot be cracked using brute force methods. It is
used to protect mobile phones, portable power tools, cameras, and
other microcontroller-based products from counterfeit battery packs.

Counterfeit batteries are often less expensive than those
provided by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) because they
often do not have appropriate protective mechanisms to prevent short
circuits, abnormal heat or leakage, ignition, rupture and other
malfunctions. They also are likely to lose their charge sooner and
wear out more quickly than authentic battery packs. It is estimated
that 75% of the replacement batteries sold are clones.

The AT88SA100S ensures replacement batteries meet the product
manufacturer's standards by providing secure, reliable authentication
that can be used to prevent product operation and/or charging with
counterfeit product.

The AT88SA100S has 256-bits of SRAM for key storage, a guaranteed
unique 48-bit serial number stored permanently inside the chip and 88
one-time, user-programmable fuses that can be used for the storage of
battery parameters or status information. The 256-bit key is stored
in the on-chip SRAM at the battery manufacturer's site and is powered
by the battery pack itself. Physical attacks to retrieve the key are
very difficult to effect because removing the CryptoAuthentication
chip from the battery erases the SRAM memory, rendering the chip
useless.

Challenge/response Authentication. Battery authentication is
based on a "challenge/response" protocol between the microcontroller
in the portable end-product (host) and the CrytpoAuthentication IC in
the battery (client).

Easy System Integration. In order to speed system design, Atmel
provides complete ARM(R)- and AVR(R)-compatible source code libraries
that implement all necessary cryptographic modules for performing the
host-side authentication capability. The AT88SA100S requires only a
single GPIO pin on the host processor and only three wires on the
connector to the battery, plus a standard bypass capacitor for a low
overall BOM impact.

Pricing and Availability. The AT88SA100S battery authentication
IC is available now in production quantities in a 1.3mm x 3mm,
green-compliant (exceeds RoHS) 3-pin SOT-23 package. Priced at
US$0.65 in quantities of 1K units, it is 40% to 60% less expensive
than any other battery-authentication IC on the market.

About Atmel. Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and
manufacture of microcontrollers, advanced logic, mixed-signal,
nonvolatile memory and radio frequency (RF) components. Leveraging
one of the industry's broadest intellectual property (IP) technology
portfolios, Atmel is able to provide the electronics industry with
complete system solutions focused on consumer, industrial, security,
communications, computing and automotive markets.

(c) 2009 Atmel Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Atmel(R), Atmel
logo and combinations thereof, AVR(R) and others, are registered
trademarks, CryptoAuthentication(TM) and others are trademarks of
Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries. ARM(R) is a registered
trademark of ARM Ltd. Other terms and product names may be trademarks
of others.

Information:
For more information, visit www.atmel.com/products/cryptoauthentication
Press Contacts:
Sharon Harnisch, Marketing Communications
Tel: +1-719-540-1723, Email: sharon.harnisch@atmel.com
Helen Perlegos, Public Relations
Tel: +1-408-487-2963, Email: Helen.perlegos@atmel.com

ots Originaltext: Atmel Corporation
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
Sharon Harnisch, Marketing Communications, +1-719-540-1723,
sharon.harnisch@atmel.com, or Helen Perlegos, Public Relations,
+1-408-487-2963, Helen.perlegos@atmel.com, both of Atmel Corporation