Trusted Foundations for Memory-Safe AI: Hardware-Enforced Cyber Resilience for Critical Infrastructure 

As software-defined and AI-enabled systems become pervasive across Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), memory safety vulnerabilities are emerging as a primary source of cyber risk. This presentation explores how SCI Semiconductor is applying CHERI/CHERIoT technology to deliver hardware-enforced cyber resilience and trusted foundations for memory-safe AI in secure microcontroller architectures.

Using SCI’s ICENI platform as a case study, we demonstrate how capability-based security, compartmentalisation and least-privilege enforcement mitigate memory corruption, privilege escalation, malicious code injection and software supply chain attacks. Attendees will gain insight into how sovereign semiconductor innovation can establish trusted, resilient foundations for next-generation AI, edge computing and critical infrastructure systems.

Biography

Haydn Povey is CEO of SCI Semiconductors, and a veteran of the embedded design space. Starting his career at National Instruments, he was hired into Arm to lead the deeply embedded processors, leading the Cortex-M family and working across global silicon vendors to drive adoption of the new technology. At Arm he also owned the security technology portfolio, including TrustZone, that underpin security across mobile phone, automotive and industrial applications. Following Arm, he founded Secure Thingz, a successful security startup, which was purchased by IAR Ltd, the leading tools vendor, where he was Group Chief Strategy Officer for over 5 years.