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j_filipe
Senior
March 28, 2025
Solved

RDP vs PcROP

  • March 28, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 709 views

Greetings,
I would like to know, in summary, what are the key main differences between RDP (ReadOut Protection) and PcROP (Proprietary Code Readout Protection), which one is safer and use cases.
Thank you!

Best answer by Jocelyn RICARD

Hello @j_filipe ,

the RDP is the main protection to be used to protect your code from read out. It protects all the flash at once.

The PCROP principle is to protect only part of the flash so that it becomes "execute only". This allows providing some library without disclosing the binary. A third party can develop code and jump to the code inside PCROP area. The constraint is that code protected by PCROP cannot read data inside this area. This means you need to use specific compiler option to have no data read but only instructions.

So, 99% chance you only need RDP :)

Best regards

Jocelyn

 

2 replies

mƎALLEm
mƎALLEm
Technical Moderator
March 28, 2025

Hello,

Please refer to the AN4758 "Proprietary code read-out protection on STM32L4, STM32L4+, STM32G4 and STM32WB Series MCUs"

"To give better visibility on the answered topics, please click on ""Accept as Solution"" on the reply which solved your issue or answered your question."
Jocelyn RICARD
Jocelyn RICARDBest answer
ST Employee
March 28, 2025

Hello @j_filipe ,

the RDP is the main protection to be used to protect your code from read out. It protects all the flash at once.

The PCROP principle is to protect only part of the flash so that it becomes "execute only". This allows providing some library without disclosing the binary. A third party can develop code and jump to the code inside PCROP area. The constraint is that code protected by PCROP cannot read data inside this area. This means you need to use specific compiler option to have no data read but only instructions.

So, 99% chance you only need RDP :)

Best regards

Jocelyn

 

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