Boise, Idaho – [2 September 2025] – Idaho Scientific is proud to announce the award of a project to develop security-hardened processor IP. In support of this project, Idaho Scientific and Synopsys have already reached major functional milestones integrating Synopsys’ ARC-V™ Processor IP with Idaho Scientific’s Helios Memory Guard (HMG) technology. This unique combination of advanced technologies delivers efficient performance while protecting against security vulnerabilities in modern computing devices. At the conclusion of this project, Idaho Scientific and Synopsys anticipate a security-enhanced processor IP solution that can be readily integrated into ASIC designs.
The project’s primary objective is to create a low-power, security-enhanced processor IP solution that allows companies to confidently deploy advanced systems, which rely on powerful but potentially vulnerable commercial electronics. While this initiative is initially focused on Aerospace and Defense use, the technology has far-reaching implications for the commercial sector. When the secure processor solution becomes available for commercial use, it will mark an important step forward for industries that depend on confidential computing and protecting sensitive data, such as data servers, healthcare, banking, and telecommunications.
“With this new security-hardened processor IP solution, we’re enabling smaller, more efficient devices while making huge advancements in built-in security functionality,” said Dan Herway, Senior Director, Strategy and Business Development. “The combination of our Helios Memory Guard and Synopsys’ Linux-capable ARC-V RPX-105 multi-core processor IP will not only help people keep their most important assets safe from evolving cyberattacks, but also help protect critical processing infrastructure as well.”
Hackers can exploit imperfect software and weak system security to take control of devices or reverse-engineer them, threatening national security and commercial intellectual property. The Helios Memory Guard technology being integrated with the Synopsys ARC processor IP prevents a broad range of threats by securing the software run-time environment and relying on a totally redesigned and streamlined hardware-enforced secure boot process.
"We use tiny computer processors every day in our phones, cars, and to get utilities to our homes,” said Herway. “The root of the cyber problem is that these processors typically execute any instruction they receive, whether it's from a legitimate source or a hacker. Our collaboration with Synopsys is about fixing this flaw. We're creating a processor solution that distinguishes between good and bad instructions in real-time, at the point of use. If you do hardware security elegantly, the vast majority of the public will never even know it’s there protecting you.”
Ease of adoption by hardware and software developers is a key objective of the collaboration between Idaho Scientific and Synopsys. The security-hardened processor IP solution will leverage commercial tools, processor and security IP, while providing extra security protections nearly invisible to software developers, chip designers, and system adopters. Software Development Kits (SDKs) and reference designs from Idaho Scientific will allow developers to evaluate the performance and security features of this secure processor solution early in design stages.
“Developing highly secure systems that can protect important assets from cyberattacks starts at the silicon level,” said Matt Gutierrez, Executive Director of product management for Synopsys Processor IP. “The combination of Synopsys’ ARC Processor IP and Idaho Scientific’s innovative Helios Memory Guard technology creates a trusted processing solution with the performance, efficiency and security features needed for a broad range of existing and emerging commercial, aerospace and defense applications.”
For more information, visit https://www.idahoscientific.com/products/helios-cyber-secure-processor and https://www.synopsys.com/designware-ip/processor-solutions/arc-v-processors/arc-v-rpx.html.
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Keywords: microelectronics security, secure processor, IoT security, RISC-V
Idaho Scientific Press Contact:
Selma Fairley
info@idahoscientific.com
208-275-8630
About Idaho Scientific
For over a decade, Idaho Scientific has specialized in creating secure computer architectures for defense systems, which keep our women and men in uniform safe as they operate critical systems in harm’s way. That same Idaho Scientific technology secures critical infrastructure and protects the systems that make our modern, connected lives possible. For more information, visit www.idahoscientific.com.
