Just a hypothetical question I've always wanted to know if it is possible for a CPU (Core) to be hidden by the manufacturer ? I'm thinking mainly in terms of desktop CPU manufacturers such as Intel and AMD.
No actually I was just thinking that a hidden core on die might be designed in such a way so that anyone trying to reverse engineer the CHIP may have a difficult time in locating it when attempting to reverse the entire chip in order to steal IP (Intellectual Property) details.It is certainly possible that a chip might have more cores than claimed and that one or more is disabled. It s not likely that it is being used for some nefarious purpose, if that is where you are heading.
Bob
There is no way to prevent that, but anyone doing that would be missing the recipe for the process (implant concentrations, temperatures, angles, optical proximity correction, "light" source used for each layer, gate first/last, etc). Plus, you have billions of transistors to deal with and more than a dozen layers.No actually I was just thinking that a hidden core on die might be designed in such a way so that anyone trying to reverse engineer the CHIP may have a difficult time in locating it when attempting to reverse the entire chip in order to steal IP (Intellectual Property) details.
Obfuscate (obscure, unclear) is a bit different than hidden.Just a hypothetical question I've always wanted to know if it is possible for a CPU (Core) to be hidden by the manufacturer ? I'm thinking mainly in terms of desktop CPU manufacturers such as Intel and AMD.
They do need protection from copying. In the 80's a copyright symbol for masks was created. It doesn't stop anyone from trying to reverse engineer a part, but it makes it illegal in all countries that honor IP marked with the mask copyright. Even where copying is allowed, the companies can lobby the US Government to take appropriate actions against the country where the theft occurred.But if an anti copy protection was needed,
then who needs a processor ?
Prior to 1984, it was not necessarily illegal to produce a competing chip with an identical layout. As the legislative history for the SCPA explained, patent and copyright protection for chip layouts, chip topographies, was largely unavailable.[1] This led to considerable complaint by U.S. chip manufacturers—notably, Intel, which, along with the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), took the lead in seeking remedial legislation—against what they termed "chip piracy." During the hearings that led to enactment of the SCPA, chip industry representatives asserted that a pirate could copy a chip design for $100,000 in 3 to 5 months that had cost its original manufacturer upwards of $1 million to design.[2]
Some of the not so hidden mask pre-copyright era marks were cool ...
View attachment 256251
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductor_Chip_Protection_Act_of_1984
Agreed, but the OP asked about a CPU "obfuscated" on a die,They do need protection from copying. In the 80's a copyright symbol for masks was created. It doesn't stop anyone from trying to reverse engineer a part, but it makes it illegal in all countries that honor IP marked with the mask copyright. Even where copying is allowed, the companies can lobby the US Government to take appropriate actions against the country where the theft occurred.
That was pretty common in the 80's and before. The company I worked for put a ban on that, but mask designers would still manage to put their marks in the layout. I knew one buy who made his initials in some metal tracks that were part of the circuit. Anyone looking at them might think it was just coincidence, but it wasn't.Some of the not so hidden mask pre-copyright era marks were cool ...
It wasn't uncommon for some unnecessary circuitry to be added to the layout. If someone copied it without analyzing the circuitry, they wouldn't know it didn't serve any purpose other than to help catch copiers.Agreed, but the OP asked about a CPU "obfuscated" on a die,
for which we are guessing why they are asking,
one idea was that it is for IP protection,
No actually I was just thinking that a hidden core on die might be designed in such a way so that anyone trying to reverse engineer the CHIP may have a difficult time in locating it when attempting to reverse the entire chip in order to steal IP (Intellectual Prop
Having just a few disguised / false traces in addition to some useless components would be a good way to foil the would be thief's circuit in a puff of smoke.It wasn't uncommon for some unnecessary circuitry to be added to the layout. If someone copied it without analyzing the circuitry, they wouldn't know it didn't serve any purpose other than to help catch copiers.
Look on some old road maps - now and again you will find a "town" on the map that never really existed. Same diff.If someone copied it without analyzing the circuitry, they wouldn't know it didn't serve any purpose other than to help catch copiers.
by Jake Hertz
by Don Wilcher
by Jake Hertz