UMC, eMemory, and PUFsecurity Announce Successful Silicon-Proven Secure Embedded Flash IP

June 28, 2022 – eMemory (TWSE: 3529) and its subsidiary PUFsecurity, and United Microelectronics Corporation (NYSE: UMC; TWSE: 2303) ("UMC"), a leading global semiconductor foundry, announced today the successful silicon qualification of the world’s first PUF (Physical Unclonable Function)-based secure embedded flash solution.

Embedded flash has been prone to non-invasive attacks on sensitive data, key parameters, firmware, and program codes. Program codes stored in an embedded flash are usually unencrypted for real-time execution purposes, giving attackers a chance to steal product secrets. PUFsecurity’s PUFef (formerly known as PUFflash) is a win-win solution, making real-time execution in place (XiP) and data-at-rest protection possible. With its built-in Root of Trust (PUFrt), PUFef enables comprehensive data protection for UMC’s eFlash technology platform, which is engineered to address the performance and ultra-low power requirements of IoT applications and the real-time encryption/decryption for program codes.

“We have seen growing demand for secure storage,” said Chris Lu, Senior Vice President of eMemory. “It’s a natural step for customers to ask how their storage unit would be protected to counter the increasing threat. Together with PUFsecurity, customers can significantly increase the safety of their data with the optimal solution for each one’s different application scenario.”

“The silicon-proven IP is now available off-shelf for customers using UMC's eFlash platform for a variety of applications,” said Osbert Cheng, Vice President of Device Technology Development & Design Support at UMC. “This cooperation will provide our customers safer, more stable, and faster solutions, and we expect it will enhance our specialty technology offering and address more business possibilities in the embedded flash market.”

“PUFef solves a major dilemma between protecting sensitive information and real-time program execution without burdening the chip’s performance,” said Evans Yang, Executive Vice President of PUFsecurity. “Given the success of PUFef with UMC, it’s an important step for us that expands our business to flash protection, helping clients protect their know-how and enhance product performance.”

About eMemory

eMemory (TPEX:3529) is a supplier of semiconductor IP specializing in embedded hard cores. As a world-leading provider of IP, eMemory has delivered best-in-class designs to over 2,100 foundries, IDMs and fabless companies globally since its establishment in 2000. We have received TSMC’s “Best IP Partner Award” each year since TSMC initiated this honor in 2010. As a global leader in the eNVM (embedded non-volatile memory) market, eMemory provides patented solutions with the industry’s widest adoption across an extensive range of process technologies. We have also become an industry leader providing security IP cores based on silicon biometrics. eMemory’s eNVM IP offerings include one-time programmable memories (NeoBit/NeoFuse) and multi-time programmable memories (NeoMTP/NeoEE). NeoPUF is the company’s embedded root of trust technology for security applications.

For more information about eMemory, please visit www.ememory.com.tw.

About PUFsecurity

PUFsecurity is a subsidiary of eMemory and is dedicated to innovating PUF-based security solutions. By leveraging our technical acumen and achievements, including core IPs such as NeoPUF and OTP from eMemory, PUFsecurity brings PUF-based security to the market. The latest solutions include Secure OTP, Hardware Root-of-Trust Module (PUFrt), Secure Crypto Coprocessor (PUFcc), and Flash Extension Series. PUFsecurity can quickly offers PUF-based security IP solutions with superior performance and cost-efficiency in the wide range of technology platforms with eMemory’s technology support.

For more information please visit: http://www.pufsecurity.com

About UMC

UMC (NYSE: UMC, TWSE: 2303) is a leading global semiconductor foundry company. The company provides high quality IC fabrication services, focusing on logic and various specialty technologies to serve all major sectors of the electronics industry. UMC’s comprehensive IC processing technologies and manufacturing solutions include Logic/Mixed-Signal, embedded High-Voltage, embedded Non-Volatile-Memory, RFSOI and BCD etc. Most of UMC's 12-in & 8-in fabs with its core R&D are located in Taiwan, with additional ones throughout Asia. UMC has total 12 fabs in production with combined capacity over 800,000 wafers per month (8-in equivalent), and all of them are certified with IATF 16949 automotive quality standard. UMC is headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan, plus local offices in United States, Europe, China, Japan, Korea & Singapore, with worldwide total 20,000 employees. For more information, please visit:

http://www.umc.com