Biological physically unclonable function

• DOI: 10.1038/s42005-019-0139-3
• Publication Date: 2019-04-26T10:03:17Z
• Authors: Akshay Wali; Akhil Dodda; Yang Wu; Andrew Pannone; Likhith Kumar Red...; Sahin Kaya Ozdemir; Ibrahim Tarik Ozb...; Saptarshi Das
• Keywords: Physical unclonable function; Hardware security module; Thriving; Reverse engineering

Abstract Information security is one of the foundational requirements for any modern society thriving on digital connectivity. At present, information accomplished either through software algorithms or hardware protocols. Software use pseudo random numbers generated by one-way mathematical functions that are computationally robust in classical era, but shown to become vulnerable post-quantum era. Hardware overcomes such limitations physically unclonable (PUFs) exploit manufacturing process variations physical microstructures Si integrated circuits obtain true numbers. However, recent upsurge reverse engineering strategies make Si-PUFs various attacks. Moreover, low-entropy, power-hungry, and area-inefficient. Here we introduce a biological PUF which exploits inherent randomness found colonized populations T cells difficult engineer at same time high-entropy, non-volatile, reconfigurable, ultra-low-power, low-cost, environment friendly.