SIDE CHANNEL ATTACKS

Presented by: Vishwanath Patil Abhay Jalisatgi

Overview Introduction What are Side Channel Attacks? Types of Side Channel Attacks Prevention Summary

Introduction Cryptographic algorithms are usually

found to be resistant against most intrusive type of attacks theoretically.

The practical application of these algorithms pave way for several different types of attacks.

One of them is SIDE CHANNEL ATTACK.

What are Side Channel Attacks? Attacks originating from information

gained from the physical implementation of a cryptosystem.

Types of Side Channel Attacks Timing Attacks

Based on measuring the amount of time various computations take to perform.

Timing measurements are fed to a statistical model that provides guessed bit key with a certain level of accuracy.

The number of samples required to retrieve the information depends on signal properties and noise.

Types of Side Channel Attacks Power Analysis Attacks

Based on varying power consumption by the hardware during computation.

Further categorized intoo Simple Power Analysis(SPA)o Differential Power Analysis(DPA)

Types of Side Channel Attacks Simple Power Analysis(SPA) Attacks

Involves direct interpretation of power consumption measurements collected during cryptographic operations.

SPA can reveal the sequence of microprocessor instructions executed.

Sonic spectrum measured using an ultrasonic microphone.

Types of Side Channel Attacks Differential Power Analysis

Involves statistical analysis of power consumption measurements from a cryptosystem.

Have signal processing & error correction properties.

Types of Side Channel Attacks Differential Fault Analysis

Rely on extracting keys by generating faults in a cryptographic system.

Based on encrypting the same piece of data twice and comparing the results.

Prevention General countermeasures:

Data Independent Calculations Binding Licensing Modified Algorithms

Countermeasures against timing attacks: Adding Delays Time Equalization of Multiplication &

Squaring

Prevention Countermeasures against power analysis

attacks Power Consumption Balancing Reduction of Signal Size Addition of Noise Shielding Modification of Algorithm Design

Countermeasures against fault attacks Running the encryption twice

Summary Using Side Channel information, it becomes

easy to gain secret information from a device.

Protecting against these can be a challenge, is costly and must be done with utmost care.

Side Channel countermeasures find application mostly in high-security areas such as in banking industry, online payment applications.