SecureLLAMA: Secure FPGAs Using LLAMA Large Language Models

Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are increasingly utilized in critical applications across sectors such as infrastructure, defense, and autonomous systems. However, the inherent flexibility of FPGAs introduces significant security vulnerabilities, particularly in the hardware description languages (HDLs) used to program them. This article introduces SecureLLAMA, an enhanced version of the LLAMA2 model, specifically designed to detect and mitigate FPGA vulnerabilities. Leveraging a novel dataset “FPGAvul” which includes both real-world examples and synthetically generated vulnerabilities. Our dataset FPGAvul addresses vulnerabilities such as initialization errors, clock domain crossing issues, insecure state machines, resource sharing conflicts, and buffer overflows. SecureLLAMA demonstrates superior accuracy in identifying and addressing security flaws in FPGA configurations. Comprehensive evaluation shows that SecureLLAMA significantly improves the detection of vulnerabilities, providing a robust solution for securing FPGAs in embedded systems. The findings of this research have the potential to advance FPGA security practices, ensuring their safe integration in critical environments where reliability is essential.