A Framework for the Analysis and Evaluation of Algebraic Fault Attacks on Lightweight Block Ciphers

—Algebraic fault analysis (AFA), which combines algebraic cryptanalysis with fault attacks, has represented serious threats to the security of lightweight block ciphers. Inspired by an earlier framework for the analysis of side-channel attacks presented at EUROCRYPT 2009, a new generic framework is proposed to analyze and evaluate algebraic fault attacks on lightweight block ciphers. We interpret AFA at three levels: the target, the adversary and the evaluator. We describe the capability of an adversary in four parts: the fault injector, the fault model describer, the cipher describer and the machine solver. A formal fault model is provided to cover most of current fault attacks. Different strategies of building optimal equation set are also provided to accelerate the solving process. At the evaluator level, we consider the approximate information metric and the actual security metric. These metrics can be used to guide adversaries, cipher designers and industrial engineers. To verif...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2016
• Where: TIFS
• Authors: Fan Zhang, Shize Guo, Xinjie Zhao, Tao Wang, Jian Yang, François-Xavier Standaert, Dawu Gu
• Keywords: TIFS 2016