The News: Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNPS) announced that its Synopsys ARC HS4xFS Processor IP achieved ISO/SAE 21434 cybersecurity certification by SGS-TṺV Saar, meeting stringent automotive regulatory requirements designed to protect connected vehicles from malicious cyberattacks. Read the full press release here.
Synopsys Advances Automotive Security with Critical ISO/SAE 21434 Cybersecurity Compliant IP
Analyst Take: As cars become increasingly software-defined, enabling car manufacturers to add new features or functions remotely through over-the-air (OTA) software updates along with other connected applications like vehicle telematics and smartphone connectivity could leave them vulnerable to unauthorized access, tampering, sophisticated cyberattacks, and the injection of malware and viruses. To mitigate this threat, automotive OEMs are mandated by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s UN R155 regulation to adopt a cybersecurity management system like ISO/SAE 21434. By integrating products that adhere to the ISO/SAE 21434 cybersecurity standard, OEMs can more easily meet regulatory requirements to better protect vehicles from malicious activity, as well as keep their customers’ data secure.
The ISO/SAE 21434 standard defines the engineering requirements for cybersecurity risk management, helping to ensure that cyber risks are monitored, detected, and mitigated throughout the vehicle’s lifecycle. It is therefore designed to ensure that connected vehicles remain protected from malicious cyberattacks – a welcome mitigation for automakers, consumers, and commercial fleet operators concerned about the potential risks associated with moving forward with connected vehicle investments.
This week’s announcement by Synopsys that its ARC HS4xFS Processor IP completed 3rd party ISO/SAE 21434 cybersecurity certification (by SGS-TṺV Saar) is therefore a significant security milestone for the software-defined vehicle segment. Achieving ISO/SAE 21434 certification addresses evolving cybersecurity threats and will help provide long-term security and reliability of automotive systems throughout the vehicle systems’ lifecycle. The Security Risk Analysis (SRA) piece of the IP will also enable designers to integrate it into their system in a secure manner and meet ISO/SAE 21434 requirements.
“With the increase in hardware and software vulnerabilities in connected cars, automotive vendors across the supply chain are adhering to tougher cybersecurity regulations to help OEMs meet governmental standards,” explains Tobias Hörmann Product Manager, Cybersecurity, SGS-TṺV Saar. “By achieving ISO 21434 certification for its IP development process and for the ARC HS4xFS Processor IP, Synopsys is helping automotive engineers meet automotive cybersecurity requirements.”
Synopsys ARC HSxFS functional safety processors are optimized for high-performance embedded applications and feature a dual-issue, 32-bit superscalar architecture with a small area footprint and low power consumption. The ASIL D certified processors come with comprehensive safety documentation including FMEDA reports, and programming support through the ARC MetaWare Toolkit for Safety. ARC HS4xFS Processors are also certified to the ISO 26262 standard, meeting ASIL D Random and ASIL D Systematic compliance for safety-critical systems. This makes them both cybersecurity and safety certified. Synopsys also achieved certification of its IP development process to the ISO/SAE 21434 standard to help ensure that its IP products are developed with a security-first mindset through every phase of the product development lifecycle. Synopsys ARC HS4xFS IP is part of Synopsys’ broad portfolio of processor IP, including the new RISC-V based ARC-V Processor IP.
The company will continue to invest in certifying its evolving IP portfolio (which includes interface, security, and processor IP products) to ensure compliance to cybersecurity requirements, reduce design risk, and accelerate to market velocity for safe and robust systems-on-chips (SoCs).
Per John Koeter, Senior VP, Product Management and Strategy for IP at Synopsys, “as a leading IP provider, Synopsys recognizes the critical importance of cybersecurity in the automotive industry and the needs of automotive OEMs to safeguard their vehicles against evolving cyber threats. Achieving the industry’s first third-party ISO/SAE 21434 certified IP product with ARC Processor IP demonstrates Synopsys’ commitment to deliver high-quality and safe IP that helps our customers to meet the latest regulations for their safety- and security-critical devices.”
Joerg Schepers, VP for Automotive Microcontrollers at Infineon, provided helpful context around the announcement, from an ecosystem partner standpoint: “As a supplier of highly reliable microcontrollers for use in automotive systems, it is critical that our products meet automotive cybersecurity standards to minimize the vulnerability to cyberattacks. At Infineon, we firmly believe that the robustness of ISO 21434 compliant solutions over the lifecycle relies heavily on strong collaboration among all stakeholders, including IP/hardware/software suppliers and customers. The automotive industry has a complex supply chain, and vendors, like Synopsys, that provide ISO 21434 certified solutions help ensure that security best practices are followed throughout the entire development process from IP to final vehicle assembly.”
The ARC H4xFS Processor with ISO 262626 safety and ISO/SAE 21434 cybersecurity certifications is available now.
Disclosure: The Futurum Group is a research and advisory firm that engages or has engaged in research, analysis, and advisory services with many technology companies, including those mentioned in this article. The author does not hold any equity positions with any company mentioned in this article.
Analysis and opinions expressed herein are specific to the analyst individually and data and other information that might have been provided for validation, not those of The Futurum Group as a whole.
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Author Information
Olivier Blanchard is Research Director, Intelligent Devices. He covers edge semiconductors and intelligent AI-capable devices for Futurum. In addition to having co-authored several books about digital transformation and AI with Futurum Group CEO Daniel Newman, Blanchard brings considerable experience demystifying new and emerging technologies, advising clients on how best to future-proof their organizations, and helping maximize the positive impacts of technology disruption while mitigating their potentially negative effects. Follow his extended analysis on X and LinkedIn.
