Authors:
Ibraheem Frieslaar
1
and
Barry Irwin
2
Affiliations:
1
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and Rhodes University, South Africa
;
2
Rhodes University, South Africa
Keyword(s):
Software Countermeasure, AES, CPA, Threads, Task Scheduler, Resistance.
Related
Ontology
Subjects/Areas/Topics:
Applied Cryptography
;
Cryptographic Techniques and Key Management
;
Data and Application Security and Privacy
;
Data Engineering
;
Data Protection
;
Databases and Data Security
;
Information and Systems Security
;
Information Assurance
;
Information Hiding
;
Software Security
Abstract:
In this research we present a novel implementation for a software countermeasure to mitigate Correlation
Power Analysis (CPA). This countermeasure combines pseudo controlled-random dummy code and a task
scheduler using multi threads to form dynamic power traces which obscures the occurrence of critical operations
of the AES-128 algorithm. This work investigates the use of a task scheduler to generate noise at specific
areas in the AES-128 algorithm to mitigate the CPA attack. The dynamic power traces have shown to be an
effective contermeasure, as it obscures the CPA into predicting the incorrect secret key. Furthermore, the countermeasure
is tested on an ATmega and an ATxmega microcontroller. The basic side channel analysis attack
resistance has been increased and in both scenarios the proposed countermeasure has reduced the correlation
accuracy and forced the CPA to predict the incorect key. The correlation accuracy decreased from 97.6% to
53.6% on the ATmega microntroller, and dec
reased from 82% to 51.4% on the ATxmega microcontroller.
(More)