Infineon Technologies has taken a decisive step toward securing embedded systems for the quantum era with the introduction of its PSOC™ Control C3 Performance Line microcontrollers. These devices are not just about improved control and efficiency—they are among the first MCUs designed to withstand the cryptographic challenges posed by quantum computing.

Raising the Security Bar

The PSOC Control C3 family is fully CNSA 2.0-compliant and meets PSA Level 3 certification, ensuring resilience against the threats outlined in next-generation security standards. This makes them well suited for industries where devices must remain secure for decades—data centers, telecom, industrial automation, solar energy, and EV charging systems.

At the heart of the design is support for Leighton-Micali Hash-Based Signatures (LMS), combined with hardware-accelerated SHA-2 (with a path to SHA-3). This provides quantum-resistant secure boot and firmware verification, protecting critical embedded systems from tampering even as classical cryptography ages out.

Crypto-Agility by Design

Recognizing that the transition to PQC will not happen overnight, Infineon has enabled hybrid PQC/ECC signing. Developers can deploy firmware that is simultaneously validated by classical and post-quantum signatures, giving systems a safe path through the transition period without forcing wholesale architectural rewrites.

Infineon also introduces a new Low-Cost Crypto Subsystem (LCSS) to handle lattice-based algorithms efficiently while keeping silicon area and costs in check—a critical balance for high-volume industrial and IoT applications.

Looking Ahead

Samples will be available in late 2025, with production ramping up in 2026. For developers, this is a clear signal: quantum-resilient security is no longer theoretical. The design choices you make today need to anticipate the cryptographic reality of tomorrow.

Infineon’s announcement underscores a simple truth—the race to quantum-safe hardware has begun, and those preparing now will set the foundation for secure infrastructure in the decades to come.