IC Power Supply Charge Store Switching Against EM Side-Channel Attacks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated circuits are vulnerable to side channel attacks, such as power analysis and electromagnetic attacks, which can extract information about the system's operation by analyzing power consumption and electromagnetic emissions.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a plurality of charge stores distributed through digital logic circuitry, along with obscuring circuitry that switches between different charge store activation patterns to obscure electromagnetic emissions, making it difficult to predict and extract information from current loops between charge stores and digital logic circuitry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If charge stores are distributed through digital logic circuitry and activated in fixed patterns, then power supply is provided to digital logic circuitry, but electromagnetic emissions can be measured to provide information about system operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the charge store activation patterns changeable over time. The obscuring circuitry switches between multiple different activation patterns, causing the current loops to dynamically change configuration. This prevents attackers from measuring consistent electromagnetic emissions that would reveal information about digital logic circuitry operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic action by cycling through different charge store activation patterns at regular intervals. The obscuring circuitry periodically switches between activation patterns, creating time-varying current loops that emit electromagnetic signals too complex and changing to be easily analyzed for information extraction.
2Power
If multiple charge stores are used to power digital logic circuitry, then power is provided to digital logic circuitry, but current loops between charge stores and digital logic circuitry generate measurable electromagnetic emissions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the current loop configurations dynamic by switching between different charge store activation patterns. Instead of fixed current loops that emit predictable electromagnetic signals, the system dynamically reconfigures which charge stores are active, causing the current loops to change shape and position over time, thereby obscuring the electromagnetic emissions.
3Reliability
If charge store activation patterns are switched to obscure electromagnetic emissions, then resistance to electromagnetic side channel attacks is increased, but system complexity increases due to obscuring circuitry
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the obscuring circuitry to perform multiple functions: it controls the activation of charge stores, switches between different activation patterns, and obscures electromagnetic emissions all through the same circuitry. This multi-functional approach reduces overall system complexity compared to having separate circuits for each function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution significantly increases the resistance of the system to electromagnetic side channel attacks by varying current loops and electromagnetic emissions, making it harder for attackers to extract useful information.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of charge stores, configured to receive power from the power input, distributed through the digital logic circuitry and capable of providing power to the digital logic circuitry
Implementation Method 2
obscuring circuitry configured to obscure electromagnetic emissions associated with flow of current in current loops between the plurality of charge stores and the digital logic circuitry by switching between a plurality of different charge store activation patterns
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit comprises a power input, digital logic circuitry, a plurality of charge stores, and obscuring circuitry. The charge stores are configured to receive power from the power input, are distributed through the digital logic circuitry and are capable of providing power to the digital logic circuitry. The obscuring circuitry is configured to obscure electromagnetic emissions associated with flow of current in current loops between the plurality of charge stores and the digital logic circuitry by switching between a plurality of different charge store activation patterns, wherein each charge store activation pattern describes a different selection of one or more of the plurality of charge stores providing power to the digital logic circuitry at a given time.