World’s first SoC with PSA Level 4 security
Silicon Labs has certified its latest Series 3 system on chip devices to the highest security level in the Platform Security Architecture (PSA).
The 22nm SiXG301 SoC is the first in its Series 3 portfolio and is the world’s first device certified to PSA Level 4 iSE/S, working with Keysight Technologies on the testing. PSA Level 4 covers validates resilience against laser fault injection, side-channel attacks, microprobing, and voltage manipulation. These threats were considered theoretical but are now increasingly common and will become more so over time, as detailed by eeNews Europe.
There are two designations for PSA Level 4, iSE/SE for the secure elements used in the system on chip and ROT for Root of Trust, to address the rising complexity and sophistication of physical attacks on embedded devices
The multi-core SiXG301 SoC has an ARM Cortex-M33 controller running up to 150 MHz for application development and dedicated cores for the radio and security engine and is aimed at LED lighting designs with a PIXELRZ single wire communication interface for LED controller ICs as well as a LED pre-driver that enables low level and consistent dimming, resulting in a simplified design, reduced bill of materials and lower product cost.
The multi-core SiXG301 SoC has an ARM Cortex-M33 controller running up to 150 MHz from Silicon Labs
It includes memory options of up to 4 MB Flash and 512 kB RAM with concurrent multiprotocol (CMP) that can run both Zigbee and Matter over Thread at the same time on a single device. This simplifies product management for the manufacturer and ease of use for the end user.
These are expected to be in use for over a decade of use in the field as part of the Internet of Things and so need to protect against likely threats in the near future.
Security is a key requirement for embedded developers with the EU’s Radio Equipment Directive (RED) coming into effect in August 2025 and the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). The Secure Vault secure element can be used for compliance with the RED requirements, and combined with over-the-air firmware and software updates and real-time monitoring can meet some of the key requirements of the EU’s
“Security isn’t just a feature – it’s foundational to everything we develop,” said Matt Johnson, President and CEO of Silicon Labs. “Being the first to achieve PSA Level 4 certification is a powerful validation of our leadership in IoT security and our focus on accelerating IoT growth.”
The previous MG21 SoC was the world’s first device to earn PSA Level 3 certification for protection against physical tampering. Silicon Labs SoCs were also the industry’s first to reach PSA Levels 1 and 2.
All Series 3 devices are planned to feature this industry-leading enhanced security foundation, with the SiXG301 expected to be the first to market with PSA Level 4 iSE/SE certification when it becomes generally available in Q3 2025.
Silicon Labs Security Overview
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