ABSTRACT
At the core of cybersecurity lies the need for hardware security. The bits and bytes that support cyberspace ultimately exist in physical memory and in the registers inside processors. These bits move from place to place via data paths guided by timing and control logic. Deficiencies or discrepancies at the hardware level may significantly compromise system security: even the most secure cryptographic protocol is useless if someone can alter the keys stored in physical memory. As a consequence, systems engineers must have at least an elementary knowledge of computer hardware as it relates to security.
