Cryptographic Function Security Analysis via Hardware Tracing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern cryptography systems are vulnerable to side channel attacks, which exploit physical parameters of computing hardware, such as timing and power consumption, making it difficult to secure these systems without significant performance impacts or hardware restrictions.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for analyzing the security of cryptographic functions against side channel attacks by monitoring and simulating the execution of cryptographic functions on a computing device, using tracing utilities and analysis modules to output and analyze data on processor states, memory access, and power usage, allowing developers to assess security without performing actual attacks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional mitigation techniques (constant memory access patterns, constant program flow) are implemented, then security against side channel attacks is improved, but program performance deteriorates drastically
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing security analysis and simulation before actual deployment. The system simulates various side channel attack scenarios and evaluates cryptographic implementations in advance, allowing developers to identify and fix vulnerabilities before the program is executed in production, thus avoiding the need for performance-degrading mitigations in the final implementation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating virtual models and simulations of cryptographic systems and attack scenarios. Instead of modifying the actual cryptographic program to prevent attacks, the system creates copies or virtual representations that can be analyzed and tested for vulnerabilities, allowing security evaluation without impacting the original program's performance
2Reliability
If top of the line hardware is utilized, then resistance to side channel attacks is improved, but cost and accessibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of hardware systems and their vulnerabilities through simulation. By modeling the behavior of cryptographic operations and potential side channel attacks in a virtual environment, the system enables security analysis on standard, accessible hardware rather than requiring expensive specialized equipment, thus making security testing universally accessible
3Measurement precision
If actual side channel attacks are performed for security testing, then accuracy of security assessment is improved, but time and cost resources deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of attack scenarios and cryptographic systems for simulation. By modeling various side channel attacks (timing attacks, power analysis attacks, acoustic attacks) in a virtual environment, the system enables accurate security assessment without performing actual physical attacks, dramatically reducing the time and resources required while maintaining assessment validity
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary security assessment through simulation before actual deployment or detailed analysis. By pre-evaluating cryptographic implementations against modeled attack scenarios, the system identifies vulnerabilities early in the development process, avoiding the need for time-consuming actual attack tests later
Data Source
AI summary
A method described herein includes acts of executing a cryptographic function over input data utilizing a processor on a computing device and generating a data packet that indicates how the cryptographic function interacts with hardware of the computing device, wherein the hardware of the computing device comprises the processor. The method also includes acts of analyzing the data packet, and generating an indication of security of the cryptographic function with respect to at least one side channel attack based at least in part upon the analyzing of the data packet.