The DesignWare® ARC® SEM Family includes performance-efficient, ultra-low power, compact security processors that enable designers to integrate security into their SoC to protect against logical, hardware and physical attacks.

The ARC SEM security processors are RISC cores based on the ARCv2 instruction set architecture (ISA), with the capability to closely couple memories and peripherals. They integrate security features ideally suited for a wide range of embedded applications and can be implemented as either a standalone secure core or a single core performing both secure and normal functions. ARC SEM processors include SecureShield™ technology to enable creation of a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) to isolate multiple execution contexts and protect secure functions from software vulnerabilities in user code.

The ARC SEM processors also include protection from side-channel attacks, which rely on information from the physical implementation rather than exploiting a direct weakness in the security measures themselves. Side-channel resistance features include uniform instruction timing, timing randomization, and power randomization, which obfuscate security operations from potential hackers. Although the ARC SEM processors do not themselves include cryptographic algorithms, these features enable third-party software or software accelerated implementations of cryptography in high value target applications such as embedded SIM and smart meters without the area overhead of dedicated hardware engines. Refer to the separately licensable ARC CryptoPack Option for more information about software accelerated cryptographic implementations.