AMD has announced AMD Versal tamper-resistant devices for security-critical systems, combining protection against physical attacks on the silicon backside with the heterogeneous processing capabilities of Versal AI Edge Series Gen 2. AMD says the devices are designed to protect security-critical information while supporting performance, size, weight, power and time-to-market requirements.
The AMD Versal tamper-resistant devices are described by the company as the industry’s first adaptive SoC or FPGA-based devices with built-in protection against physical attacks on the silicon backside. A sensor-based protection die is bonded to the main compute die using 3D active-on-active technology. AMD says the design shields the entire backside of the device, helps protect sensitive information, detects physical attacks and prevents boot if the protection die is tampered with or removed.
Security features and processing capabilities
Versal TR devices combine physical and cryptographic protection with embedded CPUs, AI Engines and programmable logic. AMD says the devices include expanded hardware acceleration for post-quantum cryptography, with support for Module-Lattice-Based Digital Signature Algorithm (ML-DSA) and Stateless Hash-Based Digital Signature Algorithm (SLH-DSA).
The devices also support a hybrid boot flow that allows users to leverage multiple signature algorithms. Application security unit (ASU) key vault improvements and a new memory element aging sensor (MEAS) provide additional safeguards for cryptographic keys, according to AMD.
AMD also says the devices expand glitch detection by combining improvements to the Versal architecture glitch detector with a new orthogonal glitch detector. The company says this provides improved coverage for glitches occurring simultaneously across two voltage rails.
Based on Versal AI Edge Series Gen 2 adaptive SoCs, the AMD Versal tamper-resistant devices integrate Arm CPUs, AI Engines, programmable logic, hard IP and connectivity. AMD lists up to 229,000 DMIPS of scalar compute, up to 369 INT8 TOPS and up to 543,000 LUTs for the devices.
Portfolio and availability
The Versal TR portfolio includes three devices: 2VE3358TR, 2VE3558TR and 2VE3858TR. AMD says the models provide a common platform across different performance and cost requirements.
Each Versal TR device has a footprint-compatible standard counterpart available today. This allows customers to develop on the standard Versal platform and later transition to the corresponding tamper-resistant device without rerunning synthesis or place and route, according to AMD.
The first Versal TR devices are expected to sample in the second half of 2027 and move to production in the first half of 2028. Customers can evaluate and build designs on select footprint-equivalent standard Versal AI Edge Series Gen 2 devices today, then transition to the corresponding tamper-resistant device while keeping their high-performance design intact.
AMD positions the devices for applications including data center networking, fintech, defense systems and critical industrial infrastructure. The company says the integrated approach can reduce the need for separate compute, security and enclosure-based protection components compared with custom solutions, while potentially saving board area and simplifying board design.
