Viettel Group and Vietnam government introduce domestic security chip

Viettel Group and the Vietnam Government Cipher Committee have unveiled VGC v1.0, a security chip built on a domestically designed semiconductor platform. The component is fabricated using a 28-nanometre CMOS process and contains 300 million transistors, utilizing the RISC-V instruction set architecture to allow for future design flexibility.

The project aims to mitigate risks associated with reliance on imported hardware for sensitive data protection. By embedding cryptographic functions directly into the silicon, the developers report that the chip performs encryption and decryption approximately 15 times faster than equivalent software-based solutions. Technical safeguards were implemented during the design phase to prevent reverse engineering and unauthorized access.

Initial deployment is currently focused on secure storage devices for government and defense agencies. Future applications are expected to include the national digital signature system, financial sector data protection, and the management of critical utility infrastructure.

CEO Tao Duc Thang stated that the initiative is part of a broader push to master critical technologies and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. The partnership includes plans for high-volume production and the development of a semiconductor fabrication facility in Hoa Lac to support comprehensive domestic chip design and packaging capabilities.