bootloader

[Christopher4187]

If a customer wanted to update the software, is bootloader secure? Also, can you load a PBP program onto a PIC that has an existing hex file?

[Ioannis]

If you give the hex file to a customer, how safe is that? He/She can copy your hardware and load the firmware then.

Also with bootloader there is no option to lock the code in the flash of the PIC®.

Ioannis

[HenrikOlsson]

Hi,
I'm 99.99% certain you can still have the flash memory of the device protected when using a bootloader. If that wasn't possible there really wouldn't be a market for encrypted bootloaders.

If you're looking for an encrypted USB bootloader there's an open source one from Diolan (http://www.diolan.com/pic/bootloader.html). If you're looking for "any" type of encrypted bootloade Brush Electronics (http://www.brushelectronics.com/) seams to have it (Serial, USB, Ethernet etc).

If you're looking for a non encrypted bootloader which is free to use and distribute to your customer you can look at the ds30 loader (he also has a secure/encrypted version which is not free). Another alternative is Tiny Bootloader.

I've tried none of the encrypted ones but I have tried the ds30 loader.

/Henrik.

[Ioannis]

Nice one Henrik.

That brings us to the question, 16F series can be protected?

Ioannis

[HenrikOlsson]

Like I said, I'm not sure how it works. A little Googling turns up encrypted loaders for 18F and up only, don't know if they exist for 16F. If they don't exist then perhaps the reason for that is A) limited amount of memory (RAM and/or flash) or B) doesn't work with code protect. I'm afraid I don't know. I highly recommend really checking that with the supplier of the bootloader.

/Henrik.