Building a Device Security Test Lab: The 4 Pillars Every Team Needs

A device security test lab is no longer just a specialized capability reserved for evaluation labs; it is becoming a strategic asset across the entire product lifecycle. From early design stages to certification and post-release validation, organizations are looking for ways to better understand how devices behave under real-world attack conditions.

However, a device security test lab is not a fixed setup. It requires adaptable capabilities that evolve alongside the organization, technical innovation, market needs, and emerging threats.

No matter how an organization chooses to build its device security testing capabilities, whether in-house, with support from external experts, or through a hybrid approach, an effective lab should help organizations gain deeper visibility, move faster, and make informed security decisions before changes become costly.

From Validation to Continuous Visibility

Integrating device security testing earlier in the development process changes how teams manage risk, timelines, and decision-making. Instead of relying solely on external validation at the end of a project, organizations gain the ability to test earlier, iterate faster, and identify potential weaknesses before they impact certification or product release.

Organizations are moving away from treating device security testing as a one-time checkpoint and toward using it as an ongoing capability that supports the entire lifecycle. Testing can begin as early as the pre-silicon design phase and continue through validation and production, enabling faster iteration and adaptation when needed. The value lies in greater control and visibility: teams can explore how devices behave under real attack conditions, validate countermeasures, and make informed security decisions before changes become costly, timelines slip, or risks escalate.

By making security testing a continuous capability, teams can:

• Identify and fix vulnerabilities earlier in the development cycle
• Reduce delays linked to external lab availability
• Keep sensitive designs and IP within a secure environment
• Adapt testing as requirements, standards, and threats evolve

The 4 Building Blocks

Regardless of industry, target, or maturity level, every device security lab relies on the same core building blocks:

1. Device Under Test (DUT)

At the center of every setup is the target itself, also referred to as the Target of Evaluation (ToE). This can include System-on-Chip (SoC), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit), smart cards, or firmware and secure boot implementations.

Everything starts here: mounting, powering, and preparing the target to ensure stable, repeatable measurements.

2. Hardware

At the core of the lab is a PXI-based embedded security testbench. Operating headless, it acts as an oscilloscope, timing controller, synchronization engine, and workstation in one.

From there, attack and observation capabilities can be added as needed:

• Power — measure and manipulate power consumption
• Clock — inject precisely timed anomalies into the clock signal
• Electromagnetic (EM) — observe EM leakage or inject EM-based faults
• Laser/Optical — perform precise optical fault injection

You don’t need all of these from day one. The architecture is modular, allowing you to expand capabilities as your testing scope evolves.

3. Software

This is where measurements turn into actionable insight. Inspector Software Suite enables teams to control experiments, capture data, and analyze results across both side-channel analysis (SCA) and fault injection (FI).

Built on more than 20 years of innovation, the platform brings together over 100 specialized modules covering the full testing workflow, from data acquisition and signal processing to advanced cryptographic analysis and fault injection validation. This enables teams to efficiently run complex testing campaigns, uncover vulnerabilities, and validate countermeasures across a wide range of embedded devices.

4. Training & Expertise

Tools alone don’t make a lab effective — the value ultimately depends on the people using them. SCA and FI require specialized knowledge, and both attack techniques and countermeasures evolve continuously.

Ongoing training and access to expert guidance ensure that testing remains relevant, accurate, and aligned with industry standards.

Start Small and Scale as You Grow

A common misconception is that building a device security test lab requires a significant upfront investment to deliver value. In practice, the architecture is designed to scale, allowing teams to start with essential capabilities, such as side-channel analysis (SCA) and fault injection (FI), and expand as requirements evolve.

Organizations typically begin with a focused setup and extend it over time as their testing scope, target complexity, and assurance levels grow.

There are multiple ways to approach building a device security lab. Some of the most common setups include:

• Essential Testing Lab – A starting point for teams looking to establish core SCA/FI capabilities and become operational quickly
• Black Box Lab – Designed for analyzing unknown or undocumented devices without internal design visibility
• White Box Lab – Enables deeper validation with full design access, ideal for development and certification preparation
• Ultimate Lab Experience – A comprehensive setup for advanced research, high-assurance validation, and large-scale testing

Across all stages, the underlying architecture remains the same. Teams don’t replace their initial investment as they grow — they build on it, expanding capabilities over time to match evolving needs.

Where to Start

The right device security test lab depends on what you’re building and the level of assurance you need. From semiconductor teams preparing for certification to government and defense organizations assessing sensitive systems, a wide range of organizations are building device security testing capabilities.

Start with a flexible foundation and scale your capabilities over time.

Explore different lab approaches and configurations here: https://www.keysight.com/us/en/cmp/build-your-device-security-test-lab.html

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