Is there a separate chip that is taking care of the hardware security features or are these features included in the "normal" NAND flash controller MCU?

The hardware security features of the X-PHY® AI Embedded Cyber Secure SSD are managed by a separate chip called the X-PHY® AI Embedded Cyber Secure SSD Quantum Engine.  This chip is designed to monitor and protect against security threats such as malware, ransomware, and other malicious attacks. It operates independently of the NAND flash controller MCU, which is responsible for managing the data transfer between the SSD and the system.  X-PHY® AI Embedded Cyber Secure SSD Quantum Engine provides an additional layer of security, ensuring that the X-PHY® AI Embedded Cyber Secure SSD is protected from any potential security breaches.