Sovereign Infrastructure
Secure Element
A tamper-resistant hardware chip that performs cryptographic operations in isolation, ensuring private keys never leave the chip boundary even if the host device is compromised.
Definition
A tamper-resistant hardware chip designed to perform cryptographic operations in isolation from the main processor. Secure Elements ensure that private keys never leave the chip boundary, even if the host device is fully compromised. In consumer hardware wallets, the Secure Element is the last line of defense. In CLAVI’s architecture, it is one layer among many in a defense-in-depth design.