Systems and methods for detecting and mitigating programmable logic device tampering

A method of mitigating tampering of a programmable integrated circuit device, the method of comprising:

• setting, using logic circuitry, a dirty bit prior to a first attempt to configure programmable logic circuitry of a core of the programmable integrated circuit device to perform an operation using false configuration data that fails an error detection check;
• clearing, using the logic circuitry, the dirty bit in response to successfully configuring the programmable logic circuitry of the core of the programmable integrated device;
• determining, using the logic circuitry, whether the dirty bit is set prior to a second attempt to configure the programmable integrated circuit device using false configuration data that fails an error detection check;
• modifying, using the logic circuitry, an error counter value in response to determining that the dirty bit is set, wherein the error counter counts unsuccessful attempts to configure the programmable integrated circuit device using the false configuration data;
• and
• initiating, using the logic circuitry, an anti-tampering operation in response to determining that the dirty bit is set and if the error counter value equals a first threshold value, wherein the anti-tampering operation includes at least one of clearing a key stored in the programmable integrated circuit device and killing the programmable integrated circuit device.

A programmable integrated circuit device comprising:

• logic circuitry for:
• incrementing an error counter in response to an unsuccessful attempt to configure programmable logic circuitry of a core of the programmable integrated circuit device using a programming object file that comprises false configuration data, wherein:
• the false configuration data comprises configuration data that would not pass a cyclic redundancy check;
• a dirty bit is set before the unsuccessful attempt;
• the dirty bit is configured to be cleared in response to a successful attempt to configure the programmable logic circuitry of the core of the programmable integrated device;
• and
• the error counter counts failed attempts to configure the programmable integrated circuit device using the programming object file;
• and
• initiating a first anti-tampering operation in response to the value of the error counter equaling a threshold and the dirty bit being set, wherein the first anti-tampering operation includes at least one of clearing a key stored in the programmable integrated circuit device and killing the programmable integrated circuit device.

A method of mitigating tampering of a programmable integrated circuit device comprising:

• incrementing an error counter in response to an unsuccessful attempt to configure programmable logic circuitry of a core of the programmable integrated circuit device when configuration data fails to load properly, wherein:
• the configuration data would not pass a cyclic redundancy check;
• a dirty bit is set before the unsuccessful attempt;
• the dirty bit is configured to be cleared in response to a successful attempt to configure the programmable logic circuitry of the core of the programmable integrated device;
• and
• the error counter counts failed attempts to configure the programmable integrated circuit device when the configuration data fails to load properly;
• and
• inititating, using logic circuitry, a first anti-tampering operation in response to the value of the error counter equaling a threshold and the dirty bit being set, wherein the first anti-tampering operation includes at least one of clearing a key stored in the programmable integrated circuit device and killing the programmable integrated circuit device.