Integrated Circuit Voltage Supply Shielding Against Side Channel Attacks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor devices are vulnerable to both non-invasive and invasive attacks, such as electromagnetic analysis and probing-based attacks, which can compromise the security of cryptographic circuits by allowing attackers to gain knowledge of internal structures and keys, and current protective measures often only address individual types of attacks, not providing comprehensive protection.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device features a substrate with a component layer and an interconnect stack that includes a metallically conductive layer for both the supply and reference potentials, arranged in a plane further away from the component layer, providing electromagnetic shielding and optical protection by requiring the removal of both layers for access, thereby increasing the effort and complexity of re-establishing connections post-attack.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional shielding measures (Faraday cage, grounding layers) are implemented, then electromagnetic analysis protection is improved, but the device becomes vulnerable to invasive attacks as protective layers can be easily removed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines electromagnetic shielding function with individual power supply function into a single integrated structure. The metallic conductive layers that provide EMA protection are simultaneously used as individual power supply connections for each circuit component, eliminating the need for separate shielding layers that could be easily removed during invasive attacks.
Solution Approach 2:
The metallic conductive layers serve multiple functions: they provide electromagnetic shielding against EMA attacks, serve as individual power supply connections for each circuit component, and act as protective elements that must be removed for any invasive attack. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making the protective structure integral to the device's operation.
2Reliability
If individual power supply connections are made for each circuit component, then protection against invasive attacks is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the individual power supply connections with the electromagnetic shielding structure. By using the same metallic conductive layers for both shielding and individual power supply, the solution avoids adding separate complex individual connection structures, thus resolving the complexity issue while maintaining security.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If metallic conductive layers are removed for invasive attack, then access to internal structure is achieved, but the device becomes non-functional and restoration is extremely difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a disposable security mechanism where the metallic conductive layers serving as individual power supply connections are designed to be irreversibly damaged during invasive attacks. The complexity and cost of restoring these individual connections makes the attack economically unattractive, effectively creating a security feature that sacrifices itself to protect the device.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If shielding layers are added for EMA protection, then electromagnetic analysis resistance is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex and vulnerable to removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for separate shielding layers by integrating the electromagnetic shielding function into the existing power supply infrastructure. The metallic conductive layers that distribute power to individual components simultaneously provide the shielding effect, thereby achieving EMA protection without adding structural complexity.
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 design significantly enhances protection against multiple types of attacks by rendering the device non-functional upon removal of the metallically conductive layers, making it extremely difficult and time-consuming for attackers to restore the connections, thus deterring invasive and semi-invasive attacks and maintaining the device's functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a metallically conductive layer for supply and reference potentials, arranged in a plane further away from the component layer... providing electromagnetic shielding
Implementation Method 2
providing electromagnetic shielding and optical protection by requiring the removal of both layers for access
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a semi-conductor device, in particular an integrated circuit with protection against side channel attacks, in particular imaging and probing based attacks, EMA and reverse engineering, in which a metallic conductive layer of a first (104) and/or second potential supply line (106) are directly linked to all circuit components, respectively individually via respective individual conductor path structures (V1, V2).