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Read-back feature on a DE10-Nano?

ABoni12
Novice
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I am working on a design with the DE10-Nano (5SCEBA6U23I7), loading the program via JTAG, a .jic file. My question is, since this is a design of my own and I don´t want it stolen or pirated: Is there a way someone with this FPGA to extract the program, with some kind of read-back feature/software? Reading about it I found that it highly depends on the manufacter and model, but I didn´t find anything specific on this one.

I tried with the "Examine" feature on the Quartus programmer, but I´m unable to check the box. The only way I can do it is by loading in the EPCS the .jic file that is already loaded on the FPGA, and I can save the file thus creating a copy of the one I already have, so this means that someone without the file itself will be unable to copying it? Is there an option I have to select to make sure the file loaded in the device will be secure/"encrypted" against piracy? Thanks.

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JohnT_Intel
Employee
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Hi,

 

I will recommend you to enable the encryption which your bitstream will be encrypted. Other user will be able to read the bitstream but will not able to use it without the key.

 

Please refer to https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/programmable/us/en/pdfs/literature/an/an556.pdf for more information on the type of encryption enabled.

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