Current Project Status

The Open Source Secure Element (OSSE) project is currently in its initial development phase. While a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) has not yet been created, significant groundwork has been laid to establish the technical foundation for the project.

Available Development Hardware

Development boards for the OpenTitan project are available and have been acquired for the project:

• ChipWhisperer CW340 FPGA Board: This board will serve as the basis for the hardware wallet’s prototype, allowing for the implementation and testing of the secure element design.

Partnerships and Collaborations

Key partnerships have been established to support the project’s development:

• (Redacted*) and Etherisc: A Letter of Intent (LOI) has been signed between these organizations to collaborate on the design and implementation of the secure hardware wallet.
• Research Team: A multidisciplinary team with expertise in blockchain technology, software development, and hardware security has been assembled.

Research and Planning

Significant research and planning efforts have been undertaken:

• Hardware Security Module Analysis: The team has evaluated various hardware security module designs to identify best practices and potential improvements.
• OpenTitan Framework Analysis: The team has begun analyzing the OpenTitan framework for its suitability as the core of the secure hardware wallet.
• Architecture Planning: Initial architecture designs for the wallet have been drafted, focusing on security, transparency, and insurability.
• Supply Chain Documentation: Research into blockchain-based supply chain documentation methods is underway.

Development Roadmap

The project has established a clear roadmap for development:

• Prototype Development: Using the CW340 Luna FPGA board to prototype the wallet’s core functionality.
• Feature Implementation: Plans for implementing secure key generation, transaction signing, and encrypted key storage features.
• Firmware Development: Preparation for porting wallet firmware to the RISC-V architecture and the Ibex processor.

Next Steps

The immediate next steps in the project include:

1. Completing the feasibility study of the OpenTitan framework
2. Setting up the development environment for the CW340 board
3. Implementing basic secure element functionality
4. Developing the initial prototype of the hardware wallet
5. Testing and validating the prototype’s security features

The project is on track to deliver a functional prototype within the planned timeline, with a clear pathway toward creating a fully functioning prototype ready for serial production.

*) The name of the leading german security research facility will be revealed when the project is funded