SEMI International Standards
Standards New Activity Report Form (SNARF)
Date Prepared: 09/17/2025Revised (if Applicable):

Document Number: 7428
SNARF for: Revision to Add a New Subordinate Standard:
Specification for Secure High-Speed SECS Message Service (Secure-HSMS) to
SEMI E37-0222 Specification for High-Speed SECS Message Services (HSMS) Generic Services

Originating Global Technical Committee: Information & Control
Originating TC Chapter: North America
Task Force (TF) in which work is to be carried out: GEM 300 Task Force
Note: If a new task force is needed, also submit a task force organization form (TFOF)

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1. Rationale:
a. Describe the need or problem addressed by this activity.
(Indicate the customer, what benefits they will receive, and if possible, quantify the impact on the return on investment [ROI] if the Document is implemented.)
SEMI developed and released E4 SECS-I in 1980 as a serial communication protocol. The original GEM standard only supported SECS-I as a protocol. Then SEMI developed and released E37 HSMS in 1995 as an alternative protocol for SECS Messaging. To simplify adoption, HSMS uses the same SECS-II message formatting as SECS-I. Over time, HSMS became the dominant protocol due to its numerous advantages over SECS-I communication including throughput and hardware abstraction.

HSMS has been a stable standard with excellent forward and backward compatibility. For example, a host implementation created in the year 2000 is compatible with an equipment created in 2025 due to the design and stability of HSMS and the SECS-II message layer. The inherent backward compatibility has been a boon for the industry. HSMS also has one major limitation; it does not provide any features for secure communication. HSMS messages are vulnerable to many types of attacks including spying, tampering and impersonation attacks. As cybersecurity becomes more important, the industry needs a standard means to secure SECS messaging. While users can deploy VPN technology to provide secure communication, a native security solution at the protocol level provides many additional benefits. Modern Defense-in-Depth and Zero Trust Architecture cybersecurity practices require secure SECS messaging.

HSMS also does not support authentication. When no host is connected, any software with the connection information (IP address, device ID, port #) can connect. The equipment has no way to authenticate the host software, and the host has no way to authenticate the equipment


b. Estimate effect on industry.
1: Major effect on entire industry or on multiple important industry sectors - identify the relevant sectors
Sector or Company Information: Anyone implementing SECS message related technology including factory and equipment software.

c. Estimate technical difficulty of the activity.
III: Difficult - Limited expertise and resources exist and/or achieving consensus is difficult

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2. Scope:
a: Describe the technical areas to be covered or addressed by this Document development activity. For Subordinate Standards, list common concepts or criteria that the Subordinate Standard inherits from the Primary Standard, as well as differences from the Primary Standard:
The new subordinate standard will define a standard way to use TLS (Transport Layer Security) with an HSMS connection so that SECS Messaging can be secure. The new protocol is intended to be an alternative to HSMS-SS communication (and SECS-I) and will reference E37 and E37.1 for HSMS protocol details.

SECS interfaces (including GEM) using the new secure-HSMS standard will continue to use the same SEMI E37 HSMS header and the same SEMI E5 SECS-II message layer to maximize compatibility with existing equipment and host software and to facilitate support for this new standard.

b: Expected result of activity
New Subordinate Standard to an existing Standard or to a new Primary Standard to be developed concurrently with this new Subordinate Standard

For a new Subordinate Standard, identify the Primary Standard here:
E37

Revision or addition of one or more Subordinate Standards to an existing Primary Standard

For Standards, identify the Standard Subtype below:
Specification

Miscellaneous (describe below):

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3. Projected Timetable for Completion:

a: General Milestones
a. Activity Start: 10/01/2025b. 1st Draft by: 11/01/2025
c. (Optional) Informational Ballot by: d. Letter Ballot by: 12/01/2025
e. TC Chapter Approval By:02/01/2026

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4. Liaisons with other Global Technical Committees/TC Chapters/Subcommittees/TFs:
a. List SEMI global technical committees, TC Chapters, subcommittees, or task forces in your or other Regions/Locales that should be kept informed regarding the progress of this activity. (Refer to SEMI Standards organization charts and global technical committee charters and scopes as needed.)
CDS Task Force

b. List any planned Type I Liaisons with external nonprofit organizations (e.g., SDO) that should receive Draft Documents from Standards staff for feedback during this activity and be notified when the Letter Ballot is issued (refer to Procedure Manual § 7):


c. Intercommittee Ballots:
will not be issued

Identify the recipient global technical committee(s):

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5. Safety Considerations:
The resulting document is expected:
NOT to be a Safety Guideline

NOTE FOR "to be a Safety Guideline": When all safety-related information is removed from the Document, the Document is NOT technically sound and complete - Refer to Section 15.1 of the Regulations for special procedures to be followed.

NOTE FOR "NOT to be a Safety Guideline": When all safety-related information is removed from the Document, the Document is still technically sound and complete.

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6. Intellectual Property Considerations:
Note: Both a: and b: below should be checked for Revision of existing Standard(s) and Safety Guideline(s).

a. For a new Standard or Safety Guideline and for any part to be modified or added in a Revision of published Standards and Safety Guidelines:
the use of patented technology is NOT required.

If "patented technology is intended to be included in the proposed Standard(s) or Safety Guideline(s) " is selected above, then also check one:


b. For Revision, Reapproval, Reinstatement, or Withdrawal of existing Standard(s) and Safety Guideline(s):
there is no known material patented technology necessary to use or implement the Standard(s) and Safety Guideline(s)

c. The body of the Document and any Appendices, Complementary Files, Related Information sections, or Various Materials that may or may not be a part of the Document by reference:
the incorporation of Copyrighted Item will NOT be required



NOTE FOR ‘the use of patented technology or the incorporation of Copyrighted Item(s) is NOT required’: If in the course of developing the Document, it is determined that the use of patented technology or Copyrighted Item(s) is necessary for the Document, the provisions of Regulations § 16 must be followed.

NOTE FOR ’will incorporate Copyrighted Item’: A copyright release letter must be obtained from the copyright owner prior to publication.

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7. Comments, Special Circumstances:
None.

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8. TC Member Review:
took place between (put dates below ) before approval at the TC Chapter Meeting, or

Member Review Start Date; 4/4/2025
Member Review End Date: 10/6/2025

NOTE FOR ‘TC Member Review’ is required by the Regulations for a period of at least two weeks
before approval of a new, or a major revision of an existing, Standard or Safety Guideline. (Refer to Regulations ¶ 8.2.1)
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9. SNARF Approval Dates:
TC Chapter or GCS10/08/2025
Recorded in TC Minutes

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10. SNARF Extension Dates:
TC Chapter Extension Granted on
Extension Expires on