Optical Tamper Protection (OTP) for PRS Security Module

In the frame of the project, the partners develop a photonic technology to ensure continuous monitoring of PRS security modules (PRS-SM). Physical tamper attacks onto PRS-SM should immediately be detected. For this objective, the electronic hardware components are embedded at a location of the communication system, which is additionally enclosed safely by a sensory security hull of ultra-thin glass. Even slight damages or changes of the overall form of the security hull should be detected immediately and doubtless. Moreover, the sensory security hull is physically unclonable due to unitary optical signature, which makes the cryptographically secure initialization of the system possible. Within a first project, the feasibility of this OTP technology for PRS security modules was successfully demonstrated together with our project partner OHB Systems AG. The development with the aim of an application in mobile PRS receivers is currently being continued. The security technology can be adapted to many other systems, which have to be protected, like crypto-phones, smart meter, alarm systems, lock systems, cash systems, or cryptographic secured data storage.