Xilinx offers defense-grade Virtex-6Q FPGA family with anti-tamper and anti-counterfeit features

SAN JOSE, USA: Xilinx Inc. announced the availability of the Virtex-6Q Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) family, a high performance defense-grade, programmable solution for major defense applications. NSA has reviewed the Xilinx Security Monitor (SECMON) IP core and found that it provides a level of Anti-Tamper (AT) protection, which will further strengthen the secure capabilities of the Virtex-6Q family of FPGAs.

The arrival of these devices in combination with the SECMON IP core, provides a secure platform for Aerospace and Defense designs used in critical AT applications, while extending the relationship between Xilinx and the NSA. The review and evaluation for the SECMON Anti-Tamper IP core encompassed a rigorous and thorough examination of: requirements and architecture, source design code and test plans/procedures.

"The Virtex-6Q family is yet another trailblazing step in the long history of Xilinx supporting the Aerospace and Defense industry," said Yousef Khalilollahi, senior director, Aerospace and Defense at Xilinx. "This product meets the stringent design requirements of secure defense products for protection against sophisticated adversaries."

The programmable Anti-Tamper solution for Xilinx's Virtex-6Q FPGAs complements AT system applications overall, thus ensuring protection of system's critical technology as instructed by DoD 5200.39. A variety of support is available from Xilinx for AT implementation including software, IP, documentation, methodologies, working groups and expertise. The Xilinx secure solution yields higher levels of integration and reliability that benefit other applications such as commercial avionics systems.

Additionally, the Virtex-6Q FPGA is the first product from Xilinx to feature easy to verify anti-counterfeiting features to combat the rising threat of fraudulent devices being introduced into defense systems worldwide.

Features include a simple visual identification and confirmation of the products' authenticity based on the external Virtex-6Q FPGA package marking, as well as other built-in, multi-level Xilinx proprietary features assuring product verification.

In addition to its secure capabilities, defense-grade Virtex-6Q devices offer mask set control, ruggedized packaging, high temperature environmental operation and longer product life when compared to pin-compatible commercial equivalents. Xilinx offers the industry's broadest portfolio of secure, defense- and commercial-grade FPGAs.