Data security for Web-based CAD

Internet-based computing has significant potential for improving most high-performance computing, including VLSI CAD. In this paper we consider the ramifications of the Internet on electronics design, and develop two models for Web-based CAD. We also investigate the security of these systems, and propose methods for protection against threats both from unrelated users, as well as from the CAD tools and tool developers themselves. These techniques provide methods for hiding unnecessary information. Such techniques will be key to the development of future Internet-based CAD applications, since serious CAD users will be unwilling to use any CAD methodology that risks exposing their designs to outsiders. By enabling Web-based CAD, these techniques can improve CAD performance, enable collaboratory design, and create a usage-based pricing methodology.