Microchip Technology Inc., a global leader in microcontroller and semiconductor solutions, today announced the introduction of the MEC175xB embedded controller with built-in post-quantum cryptography (PQC) technology.

This product supports secure encryption technology even in a quantum computer environment, and provides a solution optimized for next-generation digital security through enhanced security and low-power design.

The MEC175xB family provides hardware-based immutable encryption and is compliant with the NSA's Commercial National Security Algorithm Suite 2.0 (CNSA 2.0), the latest security standard.

In particular, it blocks the possibility of hacking using quantum computers and ensures long-term data protection by being equipped with the PQC algorithm approved by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology).

“The advent of quantum computers is rapidly changing the security landscape,” said Nuri Dagdeviren, vice president of Microchip’s Security Products business unit. The MEC175xB controller further enhances digital security by applying post-quantum cryptography at the hardware level, while also optimizing power efficiency,” the company said.

The MEC175xB controller addresses vulnerabilities in software-based security by integrating ML-DSA (Module Lattice-based Digital Signature), LMS (Leighton-Micali Signature) verification, and ML-KEM (Key Encapsulation Mechanism).

Supports CNSA 1.0 and 2.0, hybrid signature verification, and strengthens system integrity with Secure Boot and firmware update functions.

It is equipped with an attestation function using ML-DSA and also applies a low-power design to enable efficient power management even in battery-based systems.

The MEC175xB controller features an Arm® Cortex®-M4F processor with memory protection unit (MPU) operating at 96MHz, optimized for real-time computation and complex application processing.

Additional key specifications include: △480KB SRAM, △support for I3C® host and client interfaces, and △optional high-speed USB 2.0 connectivity.

Microchip offers a variety of tools for developing the MEC175xB, including compatibility with the MPLAB® X Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and third-party development tools such as Zephyr®.

It can also be experimented and tested through the MEC1753-240 MECC (EV48H83A) development board, and is expected to be utilized in the development of various industrial and embedded systems in a post-quantum environment.

The MEC175xB controllers are available through Microchip's Early Access Program, and for detailed purchasing information contact your Microchip representative or authorized distributor.