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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Nano-scale 'fingerprint' could boost security | Nano-scale 'fingerprint' could boost security |
| (6 days later) | |
| An atomic-scale fingerprint could boost the security of connected devices, according to British scientists who have developed it. | An atomic-scale fingerprint could boost the security of connected devices, according to British scientists who have developed it. |
| The tiny identity tags are essentially tiny imperfections in the building blocks of matter, making them virtually impossible to clone. | The tiny identity tags are essentially tiny imperfections in the building blocks of matter, making them virtually impossible to clone. |
| They could be used as the basis of a robust system for authenticating hardware and software, | They could be used as the basis of a robust system for authenticating hardware and software, |
| Details of the work are published in the journal Scientific Reports. | Details of the work are published in the journal Scientific Reports. |
| The researchers from the UK universities of Lancaster and Manchester built tiny, layered metallic structures in the lab and incorporated "design flaws" that were unique to the item. | The researchers from the UK universities of Lancaster and Manchester built tiny, layered metallic structures in the lab and incorporated "design flaws" that were unique to the item. |
| "What you do is shrink these systems down as far as they will go," co-author Jonathan Roberts from Lancaster told BBC News. | |
| "And the interesting thing is that you can't clone them. To clone them, you'd effectively have to measure [the fingerprints] atom-by-atom. You just can't do it." | "And the interesting thing is that you can't clone them. To clone them, you'd effectively have to measure [the fingerprints] atom-by-atom. You just can't do it." |
| The fingerprint structures were demonstrated at the nano-scale where the laws of quantum mechanics take over from the ones that predominate at larger scales. | The fingerprint structures were demonstrated at the nano-scale where the laws of quantum mechanics take over from the ones that predominate at larger scales. |
| But the researchers say it is a proof of principle which could be integrated into existing chip manufacturing processes. | But the researchers say it is a proof of principle which could be integrated into existing chip manufacturing processes. |
| "These could be used to authenticate any electronic equipment and be 100% secure," said Mr Roberts. | |
| "Having one of these devices in each and every piece of electronic equipment, you could challenge that electronic device and see what it outputs in order to identify it." | "Having one of these devices in each and every piece of electronic equipment, you could challenge that electronic device and see what it outputs in order to identify it." |
| "If you imagine self-driving cars communicating with a fake server, that could have dramatic consequences." | "If you imagine self-driving cars communicating with a fake server, that could have dramatic consequences." |
| The technology is already being commercialised through a spin-out company Quantum Base. | The technology is already being commercialised through a spin-out company Quantum Base. |
| Follow Paul on Twitter. | Follow Paul on Twitter. |