Executive Summary Excerpt:
The Potomac Institute held a Congressional Seminar on May 20, 2016 in order to provide a brie ng on major issues in trusted microelectronics and make experts in this area available for discussion. The seminar was attended by Congressional staff and members of government, industry, and think tanks. The speakers included Michael Swetnam, The Honorable John Young, Jr., Mr. Ken Colucci, and Ms. Melissa Hathaway.
The speakers identified major issues in hardware security and discussed the importance of maintaining access to trusted microelectronics for defense systems. Major issues addressed included:
• Electronics are key components in our defense systems, and assuring that their hardware components are trusted is critical for US national security. Today the United States spends billions of dollars on software in cybersecurity but very little to secure the hardware our systems depend on. As the Honorable John Young pointed out, DoD will spend nearly $1 Trillion to build essential defense systems over the next decade, and insecure hardware could compromise this investment. Investment in trusted hardware capabilities are comparatively small and will ensure that secure, Trusted hardware is available for these systems.
• With the sale of IBM Microelectronics to GlobalFoundries, long-term US government access to Trusted State-of-the-Art (SOTA) microelectronics remains uncertain, although there is a current trusted supplier contract in place between DMEA and GlobalFoundries. The Potomac Institute’s analysis of market forces and historical Trusted Foundry models indicates that DoD should work to establish a capability to ensure continuity of operations and reduce DoD dependence on a single source for advanced microelectronics, in the event that GlobalFoundries decides to exit this business area.
• There are currently many US suppliers that have been accredited by DMEA to manufacture trusted microelectronics for DoD systems, and that are willing and able to provide increased capability to DoD. Increased funding and more stringent policy requirements for trust would likely drive increased use of their capabilities. However, an “insurance policy” capability is still needed for technologies that commercial companies are no longer willing or able to produce but that are still needed for DoD systems.
• To successfully meet current and future operational needs, the USG must invest in alternative fabrication solutions that solve both trust and access issues, and can be implemented in the near-term. Secure and assured microelectronics are essential to our national security systems, and a solution that ensures long- term viability is needed.
• Speakers reviewed current efforts to ensure US government access to Trusted SOTA microelectronics and argued that more investment is needed in mid- and long-term solutions. DoD’s FY17 budget request does not provide an “insurance policy” for trusted and assured production of essential microelectronics parts in the event that a US source is unable or unwilling to provide them for DoD.
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