Counterfeit Chips Traced to Weapon Programs

Last week, Wired Magazine reported on the findings regarding a large number of counterfeit military IC’s purchased from the company VisionTech by the US Navy. Business Insider published a similar article with slightly more alarmist leanings. Both articles discuss the worst-case scenario: foreign installed ‘Trojan Horses’ found in counterfeit ICs that have self-destruct timers or watch for specific input triggers to stop working (‘Kill Switches’).

The Importance of ‘Trusted Suppliers’

One of the unique features of the secure processor offered by CPU Tech is its origin from the IBM Trusted Foundry in East Fishkill, New York. While there is a general awareness of what this means (the average person will essentially equate the claim to ‘Made in the USA’), there is not a general understanding of the real threats and vulnerabilities inherent in manufacturing overseas. As electronic devices become more complex and sophisticated, this threat increases. Therefore, the issue of ‘trusted electronics’ and ‘trusted components’ will only increase in volume.