Bio-inspired encryption using steganography

Below is a slide presentation that was delivered at two industry gatherings: the FPL (Field-Programmable Logic) event held in the Netherlands, and the FPGA Front Runners event hosted by Thales in Reading, UK. Both occasions brought together professionals, researchers, and engineers working with FPGA and embedded systems technology.

The presentations were given by Dr. Pedro Machado, who shared his expertise and research findings with attendees from both academia and industry. Dr. Machado explored in detail the latest developments in FPGA technology, focusing particularly on the crucial aspects of security and safety certification for programmable logic devices used in mission-critical applications.

The event delved into the wide range of challenges involved in ensuring that an FPGA can be considered not only secure but also demonstrably safe in accordance with the relevant industry safety and assurance standards. These standards apply to sectors such as aerospace, defence, and automotive systems—where reliability and trustworthiness are essential.

Attendees also gained insights into methods and tools for verifying FPGA safety properties, assessing risks from third-party IP, and applying best practices for secure design flows. The presentation highlighted the importance of integrating safety and security considerations from the earliest design stages, rather than treating them as afterthoughts.