On-Chip Data Obfuscation for Side-Channel Attack Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic systems are vulnerable to side-channel attacks such as electromagnetic radiation analysis and power analysis, which allow adversaries to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information by observing system operations.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an obfuscation system within the electronic system to obscure data at-transit by injecting randomness and complexity, making it difficult for attackers to distinguish between valid and dummy transactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data is transmitted clearly and efficiently between components, then communication speed and reliability are improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to side-channel attacks such as electromagnetic radiation analysis and power analysis
Solution Approach 1:
An obfuscation engine is introduced as an intermediary component between the processor and memory. This engine intercepts data transmissions, adds dummy data to create obfuscated data sequences, and transmits the obfuscated data across the interconnect fabric. The intermediary nature of the obfuscation engine allows the system to maintain normal communication functionality while adding security protection against side-channel attacks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of data transmission by altering the data sequence structure. Instead of transmitting clean data directly, the obfuscation engine modifies the data parameters by inserting dummy data at various positions, changing the temporal and spatial distribution of valid data bits. This parameter transformation makes it difficult for attackers to correlate transmission characteristics with actual data values.
2Reliability
If dummy data is added to obfuscate valid data transmissions, then security against side-channel attacks is improved, but the complexity of distinguishing valid data from dummy data increases
Solution Approach 1:
The obfuscation engine segments the data transmission process into multiple time slots and positions valid data bits within a sequence that includes dummy data. By dividing the transmission window into discrete segments and strategically placing valid data within these segments, the system creates a structured obfuscation pattern that is difficult for attackers to analyze while maintaining the ability to recover original data at the receiving end.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for obfuscating data at-transit can include receiving, at a first component on a chip, an instruction request for communicating a first data to a second component on the chip. The first component can be a processor and the second component can be an associated memory. The method can further include, determining a sequence of data arranged to obfuscate the first data while including valid bits of the first data, wherein the sequence of data indicates what is to be conveyed across lines on the chip during each time slot over a window of time controlled by a clock signal on the chip; and providing, over the window of time, the first data to the second component across the lines on the chip according to the sequence of data.