Samsung announced a new chip for data protection

Modern smartphones have strict security requirements. And many devices already have hardware encryption to protect sensitive information. Today, Samsung introduced a new development: the S3K250AF chip and optimized software that ensures the security of personal data in isolated storage.

South Korean electronics giant unveils Secure Element Turnkey solution for mobile devices certified by Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level 5+. Secure Element (SE) uses a combination of the S3K250AF security chip and optimized software to protect sensitive data in isolated storage.

Information such as PIN codes, passwords, fingerprints, face scans, credentials and much more is reliably stored in the chip. This information is written directly to the SE memory, and even the smartphone OS does not have access to it. Therefore, if the “OS” of the device is infected with some kind of malicious application, fraudsters will not have access to personal data. The chip communicates directly with payment terminals and also offers protection against laser attacks, power failures and reverse engineering. In addition, Secure Element allows you to manage failed attempts and prevent repeated attacks, taking only the last authentication request as valid.

“Effective security measures have become a key feature of today’s smart devices, because they store keys to users’ personal data related to services such as cloud storage and financial instruments, ”Donho Shin, senior vice president of System LSI Samsung Electronics.

Samsung said the chip is in mass production and is already used in the Galaxy S20 line. In addition, other manufacturers may also use Secure Element in their products.