FTDI: Difference between revisions
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|Description=FTDI is a Scottish semiconductor company. | |Description=FTDI is a Scottish semiconductor company. | ||
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Future Technology Devices International Limited is a Scottish fabless semiconductor company. It has facilities Singapore, Oregon and China in addition to the UK.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Corporate Profile |url=https://ftdichip.com/corporate-profile/ |url-status=live |website=ftdi |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260621171519/https://ftdichip.com/corporate-profile/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=xx_mHq514bihUr.xCKRLH9bmtwvYu73_hY1atdHbGsQ-1782062119-1.0.1.1-WQOwQlZgtyn1B0PmjBZ6oqeoSu1iN0Jo0I3rCR5t8XA |archive-date=21 | [[File:FT232R USB UART IC (SSOP).jpg|alt=An FT232R chip|thumb|An FT232R chip]] | ||
[[wikipedia:FTDI|Future Technology Devices International Limited]] is a Scottish fabless semiconductor company. It has facilities Singapore, Oregon and China in addition to the UK.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Corporate Profile |url=https://ftdichip.com/corporate-profile/ |url-status=live |website=ftdi |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260621171519/https://ftdichip.com/corporate-profile/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=xx_mHq514bihUr.xCKRLH9bmtwvYu73_hY1atdHbGsQ-1782062119-1.0.1.1-WQOwQlZgtyn1B0PmjBZ6oqeoSu1iN0Jo0I3rCR5t8XA |archive-date=2026-06-21}}</ref> It specializes in USB and manufactures various integrated circuits ranging from USB host controllers to USB-to-UART converter chips, multipurpose converters with support for FIFO, JTAG, SPI etc. in addition to UART. It also manufactures various cables and adapters, mainly for USB, RS232, UART and RS422.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Products |url=https://ftdichip.com/product-category/products/ |url-status=live |website=ftdi |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260621174420/https://ftdichip.com/product-category/products/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=Jx8.q6zAQBniNudpDDnV_jub4em4fnCp2__nEfG8Lnk-1782063860-1.0.1.1-OnsX3G.YXR45KXaY7pY6UbubVffzAUjkwKwz.i4f8v4 |archive-date=2026-06-21}}</ref> | |||
==Consumer-impact summary== | ==Consumer-impact summary== | ||
FTDI has employed aggressive measures such as bricking or injecting garbage data (undocumented feature) into users' chips that were determined to be clones or counterfeits by FTDI's drivers. This led to backlash and [[Microsoft]] removing FTDI's driver from [[Microsoft Windows]]. Eventually, FTDI backed down.<ref name="brick">{{Cite web |date=25 | FTDI has employed aggressive measures such as bricking or injecting garbage data (undocumented feature) into users' chips that were determined to be clones or counterfeits by FTDI's drivers. This led to backlash and [[Microsoft]] removing FTDI's driver from [[Microsoft Windows]]. Eventually, FTDI backed down.<ref name="brick">{{Cite web |date=2014-10-25 |first=James |last=Sanders |title=FTDI uses Microsoft Windows Update to disable devices using counterfeit chips |website=techrepublic |url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/ftdi-abuses-windows-update-pushing-driver-that-breaks-counterfeit-chips/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307174533/https://www.techrepublic.com/article/ftdi-abuses-windows-update-pushing-driver-that-breaks-counterfeit-chips/ |archive-date=2023-03-07 |access-date=2026-06-21}}</ref><ref name="inject">{{Cite web |date=2016-02-01 |first=Brian |last=Benchoff |title=FTDI Drivers Break Fake Chips, Again |url=https://hackaday.com/2016/02/01/ftdi-drivers-break-fake-chips-again/ |url-status=live |website=Hackaday |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260621180710/https://hackaday.com/2016/02/01/ftdi-drivers-break-fake-chips-again/ |archive-date=2026-06-21}}</ref> | ||
==Incidents== | ==Incidents== | ||
| Line 19: | Line 20: | ||
Moreover even standalone chips, are reportedly difficult to tell apart from counterfeits and ensure you're getting genuine chips.<ref name="inject"></ref> | Moreover even standalone chips, are reportedly difficult to tell apart from counterfeits and ensure you're getting genuine chips.<ref name="inject"></ref> | ||
This sets a dangerous precedent, because if users start avoiding updates due to mistrust, they may end up vulnerable because of missed security updates.<ref name="brick"></ref> | This sets a dangerous precedent, because if users start avoiding updates due to mistrust, they may end up vulnerable because of missed security updates.<ref name="brick"></ref> | ||
===Injecting garbage data (2016)=== | ===Injecting garbage data (2016)=== | ||
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==Products== | ==Products== | ||
* FT232 | *FT232 | ||
* TTL-232R | *TTL-232R | ||
* FT230X | *FT230X | ||
* FT234XD | *FT234XD | ||
* FT600/FT601 | *FT600/FT601 | ||
* FT800/FT801 | *FT800/FT801 | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| Line 39: | Line 39: | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
* [https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/ftdi-driver-kills-fake-ftdi-ft232/msg535270/#msg535270 eevblog] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20260622071446/https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/ftdi-driver-kills-fake-ftdi-ft232/msg535270/#msg535270 archived]) | *[https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/ftdi-driver-kills-fake-ftdi-ft232/msg535270/#msg535270 eevblog] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20260622071446/https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/ftdi-driver-kills-fake-ftdi-ft232/msg535270/#msg535270 archived]) | ||
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]] | [[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]] | ||
Latest revision as of 13:48, 27 June 2026
| Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1992-03-13 |
| Legal Structure | Private |
| Industry | Semiconductors |
| Also known as | Future Technology Devices International Limited |
| Official website | https://ftdichip.com/ |
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Future Technology Devices International Limited is a Scottish fabless semiconductor company. It has facilities Singapore, Oregon and China in addition to the UK.[1] It specializes in USB and manufactures various integrated circuits ranging from USB host controllers to USB-to-UART converter chips, multipurpose converters with support for FIFO, JTAG, SPI etc. in addition to UART. It also manufactures various cables and adapters, mainly for USB, RS232, UART and RS422.[2]
Consumer-impact summary
[edit | edit source]FTDI has employed aggressive measures such as bricking or injecting garbage data (undocumented feature) into users' chips that were determined to be clones or counterfeits by FTDI's drivers. This led to backlash and Microsoft removing FTDI's driver from Microsoft Windows. Eventually, FTDI backed down.[3][4]
Incidents
[edit | edit source]Drivers bricking chips (2014)
[edit | edit source]FTDI pushed an automated driver update via Windows Update that targeted the FT232 chipset. The update bricked chips it detected to be counterfeits or clones by setting their PID to 0. Because the chip itself is not something users usually purchase by itself, but rather buy devices which include it, many users were not aware their chip was counterfeit, yet were still affected. The update's INF file included a disclaimer which mentioned that the driver "MAY IRRETRIEVABLY DAMAGE THAT COMPONENT" referring to non genuine components. However, since it was installed through Windows Update, users were not able to see this file. Moreover even standalone chips, are reportedly difficult to tell apart from counterfeits and ensure you're getting genuine chips.[4] This sets a dangerous precedent, because if users start avoiding updates due to mistrust, they may end up vulnerable because of missed security updates.[3]
Injecting garbage data (2016)
[edit | edit source]A functionality was added the FTDI driver through Windows Update that injected unwanted garbage data into the device's serial stream. The stream read "NON GENUINE DEVICE FOUND!” Because this was an undocumented functionality and because it is difficult to tell whether or not a chip is genuine, this may have caused issues in chips in all kinds of devices such as medical and industrial equipment as well as Arduino.[4]
Products
[edit | edit source]- FT232
- TTL-232R
- FT230X
- FT234XD
- FT600/FT601
- FT800/FT801
See also
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ "Corporate Profile". ftdi. Archived from the original on 2026-06-21.
- ↑ "Products". ftdi. Archived from the original on 2026-06-21.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sanders, James (2014-10-25). "FTDI uses Microsoft Windows Update to disable devices using counterfeit chips". techrepublic. Archived from the original on 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2026-06-21.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Benchoff, Brian (2016-02-01). "FTDI Drivers Break Fake Chips, Again". Hackaday. Archived from the original on 2026-06-21.