With the ubiquity of IoT devices there is a growing demand for
confidentiality and integrity of data. Solutions based on reconfigurable logic
(CPLD or FPGA) have certain advantages over ASIC and MCU/SoC alternatives.
Programmable logic devices are ideal for both confidentiality and upgradability
purposes. In this context the hardware security aspects of CPLD/FPGA devices
are paramount. This paper shows preliminary evaluation of hardware security in
Intel MAX 10 devices. These FPGAs are one of the most suitable candidates for
applications demanding extensive features and high level of security. Their
strong and week security aspects are revealed and some recommendations are
suggested to counter possible security vulnerabilities in real designs. This is
a feasibility study paper. Its purpose is to highlight the most vulnerable
areas to attacks aimed at data extraction and reverse engineering. That way
further investigations could be performed on specific areas of concern