25.6.10.4.2 Active Tamper Detection

The RTC provides a mean of detecting broken traces on the PCB , also known as Active Tamper Detection. In this mode, a generated internal RTC signal can be directly routed over critical components on the board using RTC OUT output pin to one RTC INn input pin. A tamper condition is detected if there is a mismatch on the generated RTC signal.

The Active Tamper Detection mode and the generation of the RTC signal is enabled by setting the RTCOUT bit in the Control B register (CTRLB.RTCOUT).

Enabling Active Tamper Detection requires the following steps:
  • Enable the RTC prescaler output by writing a one to the RTC Out bit in the Control B register (CTRLB.RTCOUT). The I/O pins must also be configured to correctly route the signal to the external pins.
  • Select the frequency of the output signal by configuring the RTC Active Tamper Detection Frequency field in the Control B register (CTRLB.ACTF)

    GCLK_RTC_OUT  = CLK_RTC 2 CTRLB.ACTF + 1

  • Enable the tamper input n (INn) in Active Tamper Detection by writing 3 to the corresponding Input Action field in the Tamper Control register (TAMPCTRL.INnACT).
  • Select Active Tamper Detection Monitoring Source (TrustRAM or INn/OUTn tamper pins) using ALSIn bit of TAMPCTRLB register
  • Enable Active Tamper Detection by setting the CTRLB.RTCOUT bit