Multi-Stage Hardware Marking for IC Trojan Detection

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies face challenges in effectively detecting, monitoring, and securing electronic systems against hardware trojans, which can be embedded during design, manufacturing, or assembly, leading to potential security vulnerabilities and attacks.

Innovation Solution

The method involves creating a facility model, performing a trojan vulnerability analysis to identify high-risk areas, inserting a trojan at a selected site, determining a suitable instrument for monitoring the trojan's effects, and inserting the instrument at a corresponding site within the facility model. This process allows for emulation and evaluation of the instrument's efficiency and cost-effectiveness in detecting trojans.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multi-stage hardware marking and instrument insertion methods are implemented, then security assurance and trojan detection capability are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity assuranceVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the hardware marking process into multiple stages (first hardware marking stage, second hardware marking stage, third hardware marking stage) with each stage serving specific functions. Instruments are inserted at different locations (first instrument, second instrument, third instrument) to detect different aspects of trojan activity. This segmentation allows comprehensive security monitoring while organizing complexity into manageable modules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs hardware marking and instrument insertion during the design and manufacturing stages, before the integrated circuit is deployed. Trojans are detected and characterized in advance through emulation and testing. This preliminary action ensures security measures are built-in before potential threats can exploit the system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If comprehensive instrument insertion and multi-stage marking are performed, then trojan detection precision is improved, but manufacturing time and process complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetrojan detection precisionVSAvoidmanufacturing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs hardware marking and instrument insertion during the design and manufacturing stages, before the integrated circuit is deployed. Trojans are detected and characterized in advance through emulation and testing. This preliminary action ensures security measures are built-in before potential threats can exploit the system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides the hardware marking process into multiple stages (first hardware marking stage, second hardware marking stage, third hardware marking stage) with each stage serving specific functions. Instruments are inserted at different locations (first instrument, second instrument, third instrument) to detect different aspects of trojan activity. This segmentation allows comprehensive security monitoring while organizing complexity into manageable modules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If multiple instruments are inserted at different locations, then trojan effect monitoring capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetrojan effect monitoring capabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the hardware marking process into multiple stages (first hardware marking stage, second hardware marking stage, third hardware marking stage) with each stage serving specific functions. Instruments are inserted at different locations (first instrument, second instrument, third instrument) to detect different aspects of trojan activity. This segmentation allows comprehensive security monitoring while organizing complexity into manageable modules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs multiple instruments (first instrument, second instrument, third instrument) that can detect various trojan effects including logic changes, timing anomalies, and power consumption patterns. These instruments serve universal security monitoring functions across different trojan types and locations, making the system adaptable to diverse threats.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12210618B2Method and system for insertion of cybersecurity and hardware assurance instruments within intergrated circuits and electronic systems using multi-stage hardware marking

Publication Date: 2025.01.28 AMIDA TECH SOLUTIONS INC

AI summary

A hardware trojan security system may perform a computer implemented method to secure an electronic facility in relation to a hardware trojan, by performing a trojan vulnerability analysis, locating an instrument site location, identifying a selected instrument in relation to an effect of the trojan, marking instrument control-side markers and instrument operative-side markers, marking facility model control-side markers and facility model operative-side markers, marking access architecture control-side markers, and connecting the instrument with the facility model and access architecture by matching corresponding markers.