Which term ensures hardware is procured tamper-free from trustworthy suppliers?

• A. CAM Table
• B. Trusted Foundry
• C. Switching Loop
• D. Source Authenticity

Answer: (D)

Ensuring hardware integrity in the supply chain starts with verifying where parts come from and that they haven’t been altered. Source authenticity captures this idea: it focuses on confirming the supplier’s identity and the genuineness of the hardware before it’s purchased and deployed. This includes checks like cryptographic signatures, certificates, and validating the bill of materials against trusted suppliers, along with tamper-evident packaging and chain-of-custody practices. Together, these measures help prevent counterfeit parts or hardware trojans from entering your environment.

While a trusted foundry refers to secure manufacturing facilities and processes, simply relying on a reputable supplier isn’t the same as proving the exact component you receive is authentic. The other terms relate to different concepts in networking and do not address procurement integrity.