Google to help build open source, highly secure chips - Express Computer

At a time when hackers develop sophisticated tools to perpetrate nation-state cyber attacks, Google along with its partners, has announced a new project to build open source, ultra secure chips. Called "OpenTitan," the first-ever open source silicon root of trust (RoT) project will help deliver high-quality chip design for use in data center servers, storage, smartphones and more. "Open sourcing the silicon design makes it more transparent, trustworthy, and ultimately, secure," Royal Hansen, Vice President, Google, said in a statement. The silicon RoT technology can be used in server motherboards, network cards, client devices (like laptops, phones), consumer routers and IoT devices. For example, Google has relied on a custom-made RoT chip, Titan, to help ensure that machines in Google's data centres boot from a known trustworthy state with verified code.