Security is built in layers. Each time more eyes are on a layer, more issues are found which improves the next product generation. Unfortunately, ASIC design and fabrication has traditionally been opaque leading to one of the few areas where "security through obscurity" still persists. Worse, the closed nature of these designs incentivizes vulnerability concealment over remediation.

The rise of mature FOSS EDA tools changes everything. For the first time, we can build fully open source security hardware, making designs that can be audited, reproduced, and vetted at every layer of the stack. Projects like OpenTitan and Caliptra are already demonstrating that open secure elements aren't just academic curiosities but actually shipping.

We'll examine what full-stack transparency buys you in terms of security assurance, where the open ecosystem still has gaps, and what it will take to make FOSS the default.

The future of hardware security is open. Let's build it together.