[Cryptech Tech] Roadmap & remarks about the opportunity of developing a secure TOR router on the Novena platform.

[Joachim Strömbergson]

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Aloha!

★ STMAN ★ wrote:
> Hi Joachim & Linus & Lilith,
> 
> For the replacement of the Novena which is not « suitable » for 
> prototyping secure TOR routers (Too many custom additionnal hardware 
> to build for being fully operationnel), I am think for the moment to 
> this develpment board :
> 
> http://www.em.avnet.com/en-us/design/drc/Pages/Xilinx-Spartan-6-FPGA-LX75T-Development-Kit.aspx
>
>
> 
- - It has all what is needed to do the job right. - It is not
> expensive. - It is suitable with its PCIexpress bus to fit in 
> standard PC’s. - It has a standard FMC expansion connector :D

Avnet makes pretty good boards. But are you really considering using
PCIe for connectivity? AFAIK there are no complete PCIe open source
cores. Would you really trust the Xilinx PCIe macro?

I assumed that given the security requirements you would have, the
machine we are discussing would either be:

- - A simple addon connected using a fairly simple though also fairly slow
interface to a common PC.

- - A complete, self contained system.

I don't think the Avnet board is imho not very usable for either of
those to solutions.

In either case I would use the Novena and the TerasIC boards (for
diversity) to develop the main functionality (key signing for example).
And then in parallel design a more application specific board. For
example using one of the TerasIC boards and remove the cruft not needed
and add things like manual switches directly in the path of a key store
flash to block remote changes.

I really like the TerasIC boards. They are easy to use (connects cleanly
to the tools) and have good documentation including schematics,
reference designs etc.

- -- 
Med vänlig hälsning, Yours

Joachim Strömbergson - Alltid i harmonisk svängning.
========================================================================
 Joachim Strömbergson          Secworks AB          joachim at secworks.se
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