Hardware security is a vital discipline stemming from cryptographic engineering, focused on securing hardware design, ensuring code authenticity, secure key storage, and maintaining a secure supply chain for products. A cornerstone of this field is the Hardware Security Module (HSM), a physical device that safeguards and manages digital keys for strong authentication and cryptoprocessing, often integrated as a plug-in card or external unit.
Distinguishing itself from software security, hardware security is sometimes defined by its implementation using "non-Turing-machine" logic, with methods like "hardsec" employing FPGAs for robust and flexible controls. However, the field also contends with unique vulnerabilities, including hardware backdoors and malicious hardware Trojans embedded within electronic systems. To enhance protection, Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) are employed; these physical structures are easy to create and evaluate but are practically impossible to duplicate, making them crucial for high-security applications despite some being clonable or noisy. Furthermore, hardware security also addresses significant internal threats, as many data and resource attacks originate from within organizations themselves.