Patent ID: 7743262

Claim:
An integrated circuit including: non-volatile memory for storing secret information and an indicator that the secret information is stored therein; and a detection unit for preventing at least one form of power supply attack on the secret information, the detection unit comprising: a comparator having a first input connected to a reference voltage and a second input connected to a power supply line, the comparator being configured to output a detection signal when a power supply voltage is under a predetermined limit determined by the reference voltage; and an output connected into a reset line of the integrated circuit, the output providing a reset signal to first delete, overwrite, or otherwise render unreadable the indicator and then delete, overwrite, or otherwise render unreadable the secret information in the memory when the detection signal is output by the comparator, wherein the reset signal is provided when the power supply voltage drops below the predetermined limit due to a power-down of the integrated circuit.