SoC

An integrated circuit combining CPU, memory, and peripherals on one chip.

A system on chip integrates the processor, memory, and peripheral controllers onto a single die, powering smartphones, IoT sensors, and embedded devices where size and power efficiency matter. Its security implications include limited patchability, reliance on vendor firmware, and a hardware root of trust often built into the chip. Compromise at this level can be persistent and difficult to remediate. On the exam, do not confuse the lowercase SoC, a system on chip, with the uppercase SOC, a security operations center.