THE HARDWARE GAP
Why algorithms cannot secure a cold supply chain.
Executive Summary
The Challenge: $7.5B is lost annually to counterfeit semiconductors. Your current defenses (blockchain, encryption, VPUF) cannot detect a cold, unpowered fake chip until it's already inside your perimeter.
The Gap: Every security primitive in your stack assumes one thing: "the silicon is authentic." None of them actually verify it.
The Solution: Ironclad anchors that assumption to physics—isotopic gradients embedded at the atomic level, detectable with a handheld scanner before any chip is powered on.
The Impact
- SpeedCold-asset verification in <3 seconds per chip
- Security115-day cloning barrier = $839K attacker cost per counterfeit
- ComplianceMeets 18-month NDAA Section 1285 window
The Core Distinction: Physics vs. Logic
"You cannot patch a physical object."
The Logic Gap
Modern security architects focus almost exclusively on Logic Protection: Encryption, VPUFs, Secure Boot. These tools secure the data moving through the chip. They do not secure the chip itself.
If a Trojan enters your supply chain:
- Emulates the correct logic
- Generates the correct VPUF response
- Passes the digital handshake
- Installs trojans before runtime checks execute
The Ironclad Solution
We do not query the logic. We query the Isotopic Topology—the unforgeable atomic gradients implanted into the substrate.
Atomic Verification:
- We don't ask: "Who are you?" (which it can lie about)
- We measure: "What are you made of?"
- Immutable and stable for decades
- Detectable without power
Real-World Scenarios Where Algorithms Fail
Long Beach → Warner Robins ALC
A shipping container arrives from an overseas vendor. Inside: 450 "authenticated" microcontrollers for F-35 avionics.
Susquehanna Supply Depot
A spare part sits in climate-controlled storage for 18 months. No power. No network. No runtime checks possible.
The "Cold Asset" Problem
Every digital security primitive shares a fatal assumption: the chip must be powered on to be verified.
But in defense supply chains, components spend the majority of their lifecycle in three "cold" states:
- 1.In Transit: Shipping containers, cargo holds, customs warehouses.
- 2.In Storage: Depot inventory, spare part reserves, long-term stockpiles.
- 3.Pre-Assembly: Receiving docks, quality control queues, integration staging areas.
Ironclad closes this gap. Isotopic anchors are thermodynamically stable, detectable without power, and unforgeable at the atomic level.
The Economics of Throughput Asymmetry
Security is not about making attacks impossible—it's about making them economically irrational.
We Build (Parallel)
- Method: Masked Ion Projection
- Cost: <$0.01 per tag
- Time: Seconds (batch process)
- Throughput: Millions per day
They Clone (Serial)
- Method: Focused Ion Beam (FIB)
- Cost: >$839,000 per tag
- Time: 115 days per chip
- Throughput: 3 chips per year
Cloning Cost Breakdown
| FIB Equipment Amortization | $450,000 |
| Skilled Operator (115 days) | $92,000 |
| Isotope Analysis & Mapping | $180,000 |
| Materials & Consumables | $67,000 |
| Facility & Overhead | $50,000 |
| Total per Counterfeit | $839,000 |
ROI Case Study: F-35 Fleet Exposure
The Scenario
A single F-35 Lightning II contains approximately 450 mission-critical microcontrollers across avionics, flight control, and sensor fusion systems.
If a counterfeit chip is discovered post-assembly, the aircraft must be grounded, disassembled, and the component replaced—a process costing approximately $2,000,000 in labor, downtime, and recertification.
Current Model (No Ironclad)
- Assumption: 15% gray-market penetration rate (industry standard)
- Exposure: 67 counterfeit chips per aircraft (450 × 0.15)
- Detection: Post-assembly failure or audit
- Cost per Aircraft: $2M × 67 = $134,000,000
Ironclad Model
- Verification: Pre-assembly cold scan at receiving dock
- Sample Size: 10% audit (45 chips per aircraft)
- Time per Scan: <3 seconds
- Cost per Aircraft: $2,250
Return on Investment
Ironclad Model: A 10% sample audit (45 chips) using a handheld LIBS workflow costs <$2,500 in labor and amortization.
Immediate Action: The Pilot Program
Validate Ironclad in your specific logistics environment. We provide the scanner, the samples, and the challenge.
Red Team Challenge (30 Days)
We provide a mix of authentic and counterfeit chips. You try to spot them. We prove 100% accuracy.
Operational Pilot (90 Days)
Deploy one handheld scanner at a receiving depot. Measure throughput, false positive rate, and ROI.