Microchip’s PIC32CK 32-bit Microcontrollers with Hardware Security Module Enables Embedded Security

By Tiera Oliver

Associate Editor

Embedded Computing Design

April 30, 2024

News

Microchip’s PIC32CK 32-bit Microcontrollers with Hardware Security Module Enables Embedded Security

CHANDLER, Arizona — Microchip Technology announced a new family of PIC32CK 32-bit microcontrollers (MCUs) with an integrated Hardware Security Module (HSM) subsystem and Arm® Cortex®-M33 core featuring TrustZone® technology to help isolate and secure the device.

Per the company, the PIC32CK SG is the first 32-bit device on the market that combines the security of an HSM with TrustZone technology, a hardware-based secure privilege environment. The new family. is designed to provide a cost-effective embedded security solution for products that meet the latest cybersecurity mandates.

According to the company, an HSM enables authentication, secure debug, secure boot, and secure updates, while TrustZone technology protects key software functions. The HSM is designed to accelerate a wide range of symmetric and asymmetric cryptography standards, true random number generation, and secure key management.

The PIC32CK MCUs from Microchip are designed to support ISO 26262 functional safety and ISO/SAE 21434 cybersecurity standards. For increased flexibility and cost efficiency, the PIC32CK MCU family offers a wide range of options to tune the security, memory, and connectivity bandwidth based on the end application’s requirements. Options include up to 2 MB dual-panel Flash and 512 KB SRAM, with connectivity options like 10/100 Ethernet, CAN FD, and USB.

For product supply chains that require additional security and safety protection such as in industrial designs, medical devices, home appliances, and consumer IoT devices, the PIC32CK will be supported with Microchip’s Trust Platform Design Suite for provisioning as a service. This platform enables the secure factory provisioning of keys, certificates, and IP without revealing these secrets within the supply chain.

The 32-bit PIC32CK MCU family is supported by Microchip’s software platforms including MPLAB® Harmony v3 and Trust Platform Design Suite. The PIC32CK family is also supported by the PIC32CK SG and PIC32CK GC Curiosity Ultra Development Boards including the EV33A17A and EV44P93A.

The PIC32CK family is now available for purchase in high-volume production quantities.

For more information, visit: www.microchip.com/en-us/products/microcontrollers-and-microprocessors/32-bit-mcus/pic32-32-bit-mcus/pic32ck-sg-gc

Tiera Oliver, Associate Editor for Embedded Computing Design, is responsible for web content edits, product news, and constructing stories. She also assists with newsletter updates as well as contributing and editing content for ECD podcasts and the ECD YouTube channel. Before working at ECD, Tiera graduated from Northern Arizona University where she received her B.S. in journalism and political science and worked as a news reporter for the university’s student led newspaper, The Lumberjack.

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