Battery Management System Side-Channel Attack Defense

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Solution Overview

Problem

Battery management systems (BMS) with wireless communication capabilities are vulnerable to side-channel attacks, which exploit physical properties of hardware to recover encryption keys.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method that utilize a multi-core processor and virtualized encryption operation-specific containers to perform encryption operations in parallel, randomly selecting encryption algorithms and assigning operations to multiple cores to obfuscate power consumption patterns.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If wireless communication capability is added to BMS for remote monitoring and control, then convenience and flexibility are improved, but vulnerability to side-channel attacks increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveremote monitoring and control capabilityVSAvoidvulnerability to side-channel attacks

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The encryption operation module is divided into multiple virtualized encryption operation-specific containers, each handling different encryption tasks independently. This segmentation prevents attackers from analyzing the complete encryption process through power consumption patterns, as each container operates separately with its own power consumption characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically assigns encryption operations to different cores and containers in a randomized manner. The encryption algorithm selection and core assignment are not fixed but change based on operational requirements, making it difficult for attackers to establish consistent power consumption patterns for cryptographic analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If encryption operations are performed using a single core and single algorithm, then processing simplicity is maintained, but power consumption patterns become predictable and vulnerable to side-channel attacks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveencryption operation structureVSAvoidpredictability of power consumption patterns

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Encryption operations are segmented across multiple virtualized containers and processor cores. Each container handles specific encryption tasks with dedicated resources, breaking the monolithic encryption process into independent segments that consume power differently and unpredictably when executed in parallel.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes encryption parameters dynamically by selecting different encryption algorithms from a pool of available algorithms and varying the order of operation execution. This parameter variation ensures that power consumption patterns do not repeat consistently, thwarting side-channel attack analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If multiple encryption algorithms and parallel processing are implemented, then resistance to side-channel attacks is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresistance to side-channel attacksVSAvoidencryption operation module structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple virtualized encryption containers share common infrastructure resources including the processor cores, memory, and power supply. This multi-functionality approach allows the system to achieve enhanced security through diverse encryption algorithms and parallel processing while avoiding proportional increases in physical hardware complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The encryption operation module acts as an intermediary layer between the BMS application and the processor cores. It manages the complexity of multiple encryption algorithms and parallel processing internally, presenting a simplified interface to external systems while handling the computational complexity within its virtualized container architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Productivity

If encryption operations are distributed across multiple cores in parallel, then processing speed is improved, but power consumption patterns become more complex and unpredictable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveencryption operation speedVSAvoidcomplexity of power consumption patterns

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The parallel execution of encryption operations across multiple cores is performed dynamically with randomized algorithm selection and container assignment. This dynamic approach maintains high processing throughput while ensuring that power consumption patterns remain unpredictable, as the specific combination of algorithms executing on specific cores varies with each operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20250141655A1Apparatus for defending against side-channel attacks in battery management system and method thereof

Publication Date: 2025.05.01 SAMSUNG SDI CO LTD

AI summary

An apparatus for defending against a side-channel attack in a battery management system includes an encryption operation module configured to perform and manage encryption operations on data related to monitoring and charge and discharge management of a battery in the battery management system, and a processor configured to process the encryption operations on the data using a plurality of cores according to management of the encryption operation module, wherein the encryption operation module performs the encryption operations in parallel by utilizing the plurality of cores of the processor.