INTRINSICALLY TAMPER INDICATING CERAMIC SEAL (ITICS)

Year
2011
Author(s)
Heidi Anne Smartt - Sandia National Laboratories
Barry Schoeneman - Sandia National Laboratories
J. E. Walker - Sandia National Laboratories
David L. Zamora - Sandia National Laboratories)
Juan A. Romero - Sandia National Laboratories
Thomas M. Weber - Sandia National Laboratories
Adrian Mendez-Torres - Savannah River National Laboratory
Daniel Krementz - Savannah River National Laboratory
George Weeks - Savannah River National Laboratory
Abstract
Sandia National Laboratories and the Savannah River National Laboratory are collaborating on an effort to research and develop the technologies required to build and test a tamper indicating device (TID) made of ceramic materials whose intrinsically unique surface structure provides the ability to uniquely identify the device. Various coatings are being investigated to improve tamper resistance. The proposed seal will also include the ability to securely identify the seal and to verify its integrity in-situ using electronic and cryptographic methods. A hand held verifier is under development, which will provide for in-situ verification. This seal is intended to replace the ubiquitous metal cup seal used by both domestic and international security organizations for loop and wire Safeguards and Security applications. The need to replace the current seal has been articulated by both domestic and international security experts