PIC64: Mission Critical Compute Needs Mission Critical Security

The Rising Challenge

Whether safeguarding national defense systems, orchestrating industrial automation or managing satellites in orbit, mission-critical computing is the foundation of modern society. From power distribution to secure communications, from spacecraft navigation to aircraft avionics, the compute layer is what creates safety, reliability and trust.

Yet as these systems grow more intelligent and interconnected, their attack surface expands dramatically. What was once a closed, isolated environment—protected by physical distance or obscurity—is now increasingly networked, accessible and therefore vulnerable.

Cybercrime alone is projected to surpass $15 trillion annually by 2029. But the stakes go well beyond financial loss. State actors and malicious organizations are targeting critical infrastructure to:

• Disrupt power grids and utilities
• Disable or hijack satellites, creating cascading orbital hazards
• Compromise defense networks that protect national security
• Infiltrate factories and industrial operations that keep economies running

The convergence of Operational Technology (OT) with IT in industrial systems, the proliferation of LEO mega-constellations in space and the digitization of aerospace systems all mean that the once “isolated” systems are now exposed to persistent, adversarial cyber threats.

To compound the challenge, quantum computing is on the horizon. Within a decade, experts predict quantum computers capable of breaking today’s widely used RSA and ECC cryptography. That means any system relying on these algorithms—including satellites, defense networks, industrial controllers and aircraft—will be vulnerable. Even worse, adversaries can harvest encrypted data today and decrypt it tomorrow, once quantum systems are viable.

For industries that require decades-long confidentiality—defense communications, satellite telemetry, industrial control networks—waiting is not an option.

Security is No Longer Optional

Traditionally, mission-critical systems emphasized fault-tolerance, redundancy and reliability—especially in aerospace and space environments where radiation-hardening and mission assurance took priority. Security, if considered, was often bolted on after the fact.

That model no longer works. Modern attackers are sophisticated, persistent and often state-backed. The consequences of a breach are existential.

• Industrial environments: Water utilities, power grids and factories are seeing a surge of targeted cyberattacks. The EPA recently warned that U.S. water utilities are being exploited through OT/IT convergence.
• Aerospace: Researchers have demonstrated potential exploits via commercial aircraft inflight entertainment systems, demonstrating that lateral movement from “non-critical” networks to avionics is possible.
• Space: With tens of thousands of new satellites expected in orbit this decade, vulnerabilities in command links, payload data or firmware could trigger catastrophic outcomes, including Kessler Syndrome, where cascading collisions render entire orbits unusable.

The lesson is clear: Mission-critical compute now demands mission-critical security—designed in from the silicon up.

Microchip’s Solution: PIC64-HPSC and PIC64HX

To meet this challenge, Microchip has engineered its next-generation PIC64 family of 64-bit MPUs. Designed for mission-critical Aerospace & Defense, Space and Industrial applications, the PIC64-HPSC and PIC64HX combine high-performance compute with defense-grade, layered security.

These devices are not just processors—they are secure computing platforms built for an era of heightened threat.

Defense Grade Security

Both the PIC64-HPSC (for space and aerospace) and the PIC64HX (for aerospace, defense, industrial and intelligent edge) implement a layered approach to security:

• Secure Hardware
  • Hardware Security Modules (HSM) integrated into the supply chain.
  • X.509 device certificates for authentication and traceability.
  • “No red keys” architecture, designed to prevent plaintext keys from ever existing on the device.
  • Comprehensive anti-tamper sensors (voltage, temperature, clock, mesh, light).
• Design Security
  • Secure boot with both classical (ECDSA) and post-quantum (ML-DSA) cryptography.
  • Secure key storage with PUF-derived wrapping.
  • Measured boot with attestation, enabling verification of firmware integrity.
  • Support for overbuilding protection to prevent unauthorized device cloning.
• Data Security
  • AES-256 encryption for confidentiality.
  • Post-quantum ML-KEM for secure key exchange.
  • Digital signatures (ECDSA, ML-DSA) for source authentication and integrity validation.
  • High-performance NIST-certified crypto accelerators, providing security without compromising system performance.

This layered model—hardware, design and data security—verifies that protection is comprehensive and built into every stage of the system lifecycle, from device fabrication to secure boot, runtime operation and even end-of-life decommissioning.

Quantum Resilient by Design

The cryptographic future is post-quantum. Nation-state adversaries are already stockpiling encrypted data, anticipating the day when quantum systems can break classical cryptography.

To address this, Microchip’s latest 64-bit platforms incorporate hardware enablement for FIPS 203 (ML-KEM) and FIPS 204 (ML-DSA)—two of the leading NIST-selected PQC algorithms.

This provides developers with:

• Future-proof designs that can withstand the cryptographic threats of the 2030s and beyond.
• Hybrid support (e.g., ML-DSA + ECDSA, ML-KEM + ECDH) for gradual migration and interoperability.
• Hardware acceleration to affirm that adopting PQC does not come at a performance penalty.

By building in PQC support now, the PIC64 family gives system architects a clear path to quantum-resistant system designs—years ahead of regulatory mandates.

Mission Specific Capabilities

• PIC64-HPSC: Radiation-hardened/tolerant, optimized for spacecraft, launchers and crewed missions. Blends commercial-grade compute performance, AI/ML acceleration and TSN connectivity with the reliability and security required for space.
• PIC64HX: High-performance MPU for industrial automation, aerospace, defense and critical infrastructure at the intelligent edge. Virtualization, fault tolerance and AI acceleration make it suitable for securing OT-IT converged systems.

Securing the Future of Critical Systems

The stakes have never been higher. From protecting satellites in orbit to securing the water utilities and factories that sustain modern life, mission-critical systems require mission-critical security.

Microchip’s PIC64-HPSC and PIC64HX deliver the performance, resilience and post-quantum security that Aerospace & Defense and Industrial developers need to protect their systems—not just today, but decades into the future.

Because in mission-critical environments, compute without security is not an option.

For additional information:

• Please visit our PIC64HX and PIC64-HPSC webpages
• Read our domain specific white papers: PIC64HX and PIC64-HPSC
• Schedule a call and be sure to indicate your product of interest
• For pricing and availability, contact Microchip Local Sales
• Connect with the author