Samsung has developed a new secure element (SE) chip and enhanced security software to better protect sensitive data on mobile devices.
The new chip, dubbed S3FV9RR, offers protection for booting, isolated storage, mobile payments and other applications. It has also received a Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level (CC EAL) of 6+ and this is the highest level ever acquired by a mobile component from Common Criteria which certifies the security level of IT products from EAL0 to EAL7.
Senior vice president of System LSI marketing at Samsung Electronics, Dongho Shin provided further insight on the company's new SE chip in a press release, saying:
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“In this era of mobility and contact-less interactions, we expect our connected devices, such as smartphones or tablets, to be highly secure so as to protect personal data and enable fintech activities such as mobile banking, stock trading and cryptocurrency transactions. With the new standalone security element solution (S3FV9RR), Samsung is mounting a powerful deadbolt on smart devices to safeguard private information."
Secure Element chip
Samsung's new security solution is an enhanced turnkey that builds on its predecessor, the S3K250AF, that was first deployed in the Galaxy S20. This first generation SE chip was CC EAL 5+ certified while the new chip is CC EAL 6+ certified.
The CC EAL 6+ certification is primarily utilized in devices and applications that demand the most stringent security requirements such as flagship smartphones, e-passports and hardware wallets for storing cryptocurrency.
The new SE chip also supports hardware-based root of trust (RoT), secure boot and device authentication to bring mobile security to the next level. As the bootloader initiates, a chain of trust is activated to validate firmware with approved keys. The secure booting process is handled by RoT and this helps protect the device against malicious attacks as well as unauthorized software updates.
Samsung's new security solution can even work independently from the security performance of the device's main processor. The company believes its latest SE chip will help expand the security capabilities of mobile devices, IoT applications and other devices in all performance levels.
The second generation SE chip is expected to be available within the third quarter of this year.
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Via ZDNet
