Specifications

Page 18 Steps for Implementing a Secure Configuration Flow
Using the Design Security Features in Altera FPGAs June 2012 Altera Corporation
12. Repeat Steps 7–9 to generate a .svf file for all the .ekp files. Use the default setting
in the Create JAM, SVF, or ISC File dialog box when generating a .svf file of the
.ekp file (Figure 17).
Step 2a: Program the Volatile Key into the FPGAs
Before programming the volatile key into the FPGAs, ensure that you can successfully
configure the FPGA with an unencrypted configuration file. The volatile key is a
reprogrammable and erasable key. Before you program the FPGAs with the volatile
key, you must provide an external battery to retain the volatile key. FPGAs with the
volatile key successfully programmed can accept both encrypted and unencrypted
configuration bitstreams. This enables the use of unencrypted configuration
bitstreams for board-level testing.
Any attempt to configure the FPGAs containing the volatile key with a configuration
file encrypted with the wrong key causes the configuration to fail. If this occurs, the
nSTATUS signal from the FPGA pulses low and continues to reset itself.
You can program the key into the FPGAs with on-board prototyping from Table 4 on
page 4.
Figure 17. Multi-Device Key Programming: .svf File Generation