Side Channel Analysis
Last updated
Last updated
Every encryption has the following basic algorithm in place -
Although you know the input and output, there is no way to derive the key. In the case of side-channel attacks, something somehow connected to the encryption or key is deduced or leaked, allowing for the recovery of the key. This is a passive attack on a system. Side-channels in embedded systems can include timing, RF, power, acoustic, heat, and other measurable effects. Side-channel attacks involve observation and exploit 'unintended' emissions of information. These side channels can be used to recover secret information from a device.
Side-channel attacks exploit unintended information leaks from a system's physical implementation or environment during normal operation. They bypass cryptographic defenses by analyzing side-effects like timing, power consumption, or electromagnetic radiation to extract sensitive data such as encryption keys. These attacks are significant in resource-constrained environments like embedded systems and require countermeasures such as masking or noise addition for mitigation.
