Emerging Chiplet Designs Spark Fresh Cybersecurity Challenges

Dark Reading

by Agam Shah

February 19, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Emerging chiplet designs are revolutionizing semiconductor technology by enabling more flexible and efficient computing solutions for AI, autonomous vehicles, and other advanced applications. However, this shift introduces significant cybersecurity challenges. Unlike traditional monolithic chips, which are designed and manufactured as single units, chiplets are modular components that combine smaller silicon elements into a single circuit. This modularity offers greater design flexibility and reusability but also creates vulnerabilities in the supply chain and expanded attack surfaces for cyber threats. The distributed nature of chiplet manufacturing—often involving multiple vendors, global supply chains, and diverse fabrication facilities—increases the risk of introducing hardware Trojans, backdoored components, or compromised designs. Experts warn that even a single vulnerable chiplet could compromise entire systems, from data centers to critical infrastructure. For instance, Dana Neustadter of Synopsys highlights how a malicious chiplet could enable snooping, data modification, or man-in-the-middle attacks across multiple devices and industries. The reliance on overseas vendors for chiplet production adds another layer of risk, as U.S. companies often lack the ability to verify how chips are fabricated. This blind trust in supply chain processes leaves critical systems exposed to potential exploitation. The automotive sector, with its stringent security standards like ISO 26262 and ISO 21434, is particularly concerned about the impact of defective or malicious chiplets on vehicle safety. To address these risks, cybersecurity must be integrated into chiplet design and supply chain

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Originally published on Dark Reading on 2/19/2026