Dynamic Functional Obfuscation for Integrated Circuit Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hardware obfuscation techniques are vulnerable to attacks and suffer from design complexity, area, power, and timing overheads, making them inadequate for ensuring secure and reliable integrated circuit chips against counterfeiting, unauthorized production, and malicious circuit insertion.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a dynamic functional obfuscation method using a trigger generator and multiplexers to generate non-periodic trigger outputs, which selectively set obfuscated control signals to either valid or invalid control signals based on key inputs, creating time-varying and dynamic modes that are difficult to decipher, thereby enhancing security without significant overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current hardware obfuscation techniques are used, then security protection is provided, but design complexity and area overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the obfuscation behavior time-varying through a trigger generator that produces non-periodic trigger signals. The multiplexer switches between valid and invalid control signals dynamically based on these trigger signals, creating a dynamic obfuscation mechanism that adapts its behavior over time rather than being static, thereby enhancing security without proportionally increasing design complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes periodic action in reverse by explicitly avoiding periodic trigger signals. The trigger generator is designed to produce non-periodic trigger outputs, which prevents attackers from predicting when obfuscation will be activated or deactivated, thereby maintaining security protection while reducing the complexity associated with predictable periodic patterns
2Reliability
If current hardware obfuscation techniques are used, then security protection is provided, but area overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The multiplexer in the patent serves multiple functions: it acts as a signal router, an obfuscation mechanism, and a key-controlled switch all in one component. By making the control signal itself obfuscated rather than obfuscating multiple separate data paths, the patent reduces area overhead while maintaining security protection through a universal component that performs multiple security-related functions
3Reliability
If current hardware obfuscation techniques are used, then security protection is provided, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the obfuscation function from multiple potential locations and concentrates it in the control signal path itself. By taking out the obfuscation mechanism from data paths and applying it only to control signals, the patent reduces overall power consumption while maintaining security protection, as control signals typically consume less power than data signals and the obfuscation is applied selectively rather than continuously across the entire circuit
4Reliability
If current hardware obfuscation techniques are used, then security protection is provided, but timing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The trigger generator is designed to produce trigger signals in advance that control when obfuscation should be active. By preparing the trigger signals beforehand and using them to pre-control the multiplexer states, the patent minimizes timing overhead during actual operation, as the obfuscation switching is predetermined rather than requiring real-time computation or complex synchronization
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a trigger generator and at least one multiplexer. The trigger generator is configured to generate a non-periodic trigger output. The at least one multiplexer is configured to output a valid control signal and an obfuscated control signal in response to a key value input. The obfuscated control signal is selectively set to one of a valid control signal and an invalid control signal based on the non-periodic trigger output.