SK hynix expands safety and security certifications for low-power DRAM, accelerates push into physical AI memory

[Financial News] SK hynix has obtained Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 3 certification under IEC 61508, the international standard for functional safety in industrial applications, for its LPDDR5X low-power DRAM. It has also secured Cybersecurity Management System (CSMS) certification based on ISO/SAE 21434, the international standard for automotive cybersecurity.
On the 11th, SK hynix said that IEC 61508 is an international standard for assessing the functional safety of industrial electrical and electronic systems. It classifies safety integrity levels from SIL 1 to SIL 4, with higher numbers indicating stricter requirements. According to the company, SIL 3 is the highest level a single memory semiconductor can achieve.
LPDDR5X was designed and validated to support “continuous mode,” in which a system must maintain a safe state in real time while operating. SK hynix said this gives it a foundation for applications such as real-time robot control.
The certification covered the LPDDR5X product and its development process. The company was assessed not only on the safety of the current product but also on whether it has a system for consistently incorporating safety requirements into the development of future products. SK hynix plans to meet the functional safety requirements of customers developing platforms for robots and systems-on-chip (SoCs), leveraging the product’s low power consumption and high performance.
The automotive cybersecurity management system certification confirmed whether development and mass-production processes—including threat-response procedures, the establishment of security requirements, design and validation, and vulnerability management—conform to international standards. ISO/SAE 21434 is a standard for managing cybersecurity risks throughout a product’s life cycle, from development through operation and disposal. The two certifications are complementary in that they each validate a framework for addressing a different risk: accidental failure or malicious attack.
After obtaining ASIL-D certification under the automotive functional safety standard ISO 26262 in January this year, SK hynix has expanded the scope of its functional safety validation to industrial applications with this latest certification. In early last year, it also became the first company in the memory industry to secure TISAX, an information security certification for the automotive industry.
The company plans to use these achievements to increase its participation in autonomous driving platform and software-defined vehicle (SDV) projects, and expand its global Tier 1 customer base—companies that directly supply components and systems to automakers. It also plans to broaden the application of its memory products into industrial fields such as robotics, edge AI and smart factories.
Kim Jong-hwan, vice president and head of DRAM Development at SK hynix, said, “As the physical AI market develops, safety and security frameworks that meet international standards are becoming increasingly important in the memory development process as well.” He added, “Building on our safety and security capabilities, validated across the automotive and industrial sectors, we will strengthen our leadership in full-stack AI memory at the AI-system level in the physical AI market, including robotics, edge AI and autonomous driving.”
[email protected] Park Ji-yeon Reporter