Abstract: Tamper-detect assemblies and methods of fabrication are provided. A tamper-detect assembly includes a laminate carrier with embedded tamper-detect circuitry within the laminate carrier, and one or more electronic components on the laminate carrier. Further, the tamper-detect assembly includes a heat sink cover. The heat sink cover includes a heat sink and tamper-detect circuitry integrated within the heat sink cover. The heat sink cover is mounted to the laminate carrier and encloses the one or more electronic components between the laminate carrier and the heat sink cover. Together, the embedded tamper-detect circuitry of the laminate carrier and the integrated tamper-detect circuitry of the heat sink cover define, at least in part, a secure volume about the one or more electronic components.

Abstract: Tamper-respondent assemblies are provided which include individualized fluid chemical mixtures for tamper detection. The tamper-respondent assemblies include, for instance, a circuit board and an enclosure. The circuit board includes an electronic component, and the enclosure is mounted to the circuit board to enclose the electronic component within a secure volume, where the secure volume is a sealed space. A fluid is disposed within the secure volume that includes a chemical mixture of multiple chemical substances, and the multiple chemical substances have randomly generated concentrations within the chemical mixture. One or more sensors are provided to facilitate detecting a change in the chemical mixture of the fluid within the secure volume indicative of a tamper event.

Abstract: In-situ fabrication of tamper-respondent sensors with random security circuit patterns is provided. The method includes establishing a random security circuit pattern for fabricating a security circuit of a tamper-respondent sensor to enclose, at least in part, one or more components within a secure volume. The establishing includes generating a trace pattern extending once through nodes of a plurality of nodes dispersed within an area of the tamper-respondent sensor, and randomly modifying the trace pattern to produce a randomly modified trace pattern with a desired randomization index relative to a specified randomization threshold, and providing the randomly modified trace pattern as a random security circuit pattern. Further, the method includes initiating fabricating of the tamper-respondent sensor in-situ on a surface of an enclosure to facilitate defining the secure volume, with the fabricating using the random security circuit pattern.

Abstract: Component positioning feedback within an electronic assembly is provided. The feedback process includes obtaining component position data from a plurality of sensors of the electronic assembly. The component position data facilitates in situ evaluation of positioning of the component within the electronic assembly. Further, the process includes determining, by data analysis of the component position data, a current positioning of the component of the electronic assembly relative to another component of the electronic assembly, and generating a position feedback signal based on the determined current positioning of the component of the electronic assembly relative to the other component of the electronic assembly.

Abstract: Tamper-respondent assemblies are provided which include an enclosure mounted to a circuit board and enclosing one or more components to be protected within a secure volume. A tamper-respondent sensor covers, at least in part, an inner surface of the enclosure, and includes at least one tamper-detect circuit. A monitor circuit is disposed within the secure volume to monitor the tamper-detect circuit(s) for a tamper event. A pressure connector assembly is also disposed within the secure volume, between the tamper-respondent sensor and the circuit board. The pressure connector assembly includes a conductive pressure connector electrically connecting, at least in part, the monitor circuit and the tamper-detect circuit(s) of the tamper-respondent assembly, and a spring-biasing mechanism to facilitate breaking electrical connection of the conductive pressure connector to the tamper-detect circuit(s) with a tamper event.

Abstract: Tamper-respondent assemblies are provided which include a circuit board, an enclosure assembly mounted to the circuit board, and a pressure sensor. The circuit board includes an electronic component, and the enclosure assembly is mounted to the circuit board to enclose the electronic component within a secure volume. The enclosure assembly includes a thermally conductive enclosure with a sealed inner compartment, and a porous heat transfer element within the sealed inner compartment. The porous heat transfer element is sized and located to facilitate conducting heat from the electronic component across the sealed inner compartment of the thermally conductive enclosure. The pressure sensor senses pressure within the sealed inner compartment of the thermally conductive enclosure to facilitate identifying a pressure change indicative of a tamper event.