Multi-GHz Guard Sensor for Intrusion Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current security systems for protecting computer hardware and signal paths from physical and electromagnetic intrusions are inadequate, as they rely on expensive custom designs and are not effective against sophisticated attacks that modify or probe circuitry, especially at high frequencies where existing detection methods become difficult due to non-linear and chaotic behavior of signal transmission paths.
Innovation Solution
A multi-GHz guard sensor system that injects a high-frequency guard signal above the knee frequency of the signal transmission path to detect changes in impedance, using dynamic fingerprinting and bit error rate monitoring to identify and characterize intrusions, and can be configured in a mesh or network for enhanced protection without modifying existing circuitry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If custom secure microprocessor assemblies are used to protect against physical intrusion, then security reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical mechanical security measures (custom secure microprocessor assemblies, physical barriers) with an electromagnetic field-based sensing system. The guard sensor uses electromagnetic fields to detect intrusions, substituting complex mechanical/custom hardware with a more versatile electromagnetic sensing approach that can protect multiple targets without requiring custom assemblies for each.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If wire mesh is used to detect physical intrusion, then intrusion detection capability is improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to electromagnetic attacks and sophisticated adversaries can bypass it
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating parameters of the sensing system by using multi-GHz frequencies (above the knee frequency of transmission paths) to detect intrusions. This frequency parameter change enables the system to detect both physical intrusions (wire mesh breaks) and electromagnetic intrusions (signal injections, probing) that operate at high frequencies, making the detection more comprehensive and harder to bypass.
3Measurement precision
If high-frequency guard signals are used to detect intrusions, then sensitivity to subtle changes in transmission path characteristics is improved, but the system becomes more susceptible to non-linear and chaotic behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by continuously monitoring the transmission path characteristics before actual intrusions occur. The system establishes a baseline understanding of the path's electromagnetic properties and uses this pre-established knowledge to detect deviations caused by intrusions, enabling early detection while accounting for the non-linear behavior through continuous adaptation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms by continuously analyzing the guard signal responses and comparing them against expected characteristics. When deviations are detected that indicate intrusions, the system can trigger alerts or adjust its monitoring parameters, creating a closed-loop system that adapts to the non-linear and chaotic behavior while maintaining high detection sensitivity.
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
The system provides exceptional sensitivity to detect and characterize physical or electromagnetic intrusions, improving security by leveraging the non-linear behavior of high-frequency signals to differentiate subtle changes in transmission path characteristics, thereby enhancing the protection of both low and high-frequency target signals and circuitry.
Implementation Method 1
The guard sensor transmits high-frequency guard signals at least at 4 GHz and above the knee of the signal transmission path along a guard signal transmission path
Implementation Method 2
measuring one or more components of received guard signals to detect changes in physically distributed transmission parameters of the one or more guard signal transmission paths or one or more guard signals
Data Source
AI summary
A guard sensor injects a multi-GHz (multi giga-bit) guard signal along a guard signal transmission path above an observable knee in the amplitude response of the path to define a guarded region and to detect physical or electromagnetic intrusions of that guarded region. At frequencies above the knee, the signal transmission path exhibits increasingly non-linear and even chaotic behavior that improves the overall sensitivity of the sensor and its ability to detect slight changes in the distributed transmission parameters that characterize circuit devices, signal paths and signals. The guarded region may be used to protect a combination of circuit devices, physical connections, interfaces, high and low frequency signal transmission paths and signals.