How to Explain Side-Channel Leakage to Your Kids

This paper will attempt to explain some of the side-channel attack techniques in a fashion that is easily comprehensible by the layman. What follows is a presentation of three different attacks (power, timing and fault attacks) that can be carried out on cryptographic devices such as smart-cards. For each of the three attacks covered, a puzzle and it‘s solution will be given, which will act as an analogy to the attack. How these attacks can be applied to real devices will also be discussed. 1 Timing Attacks When an algorithm is executed on a device it will take a certain amount of time to complete. In some instances the amount of time the algorithm takes to execute will vary depending on the secret information that is normally not available to an external observer. An animated PowerPoint slide-show (game) and it’s winning strategy give an example of how this technique can be used. The story was originally told by Eli Biham at the dinner that followed the Ph.D. defenses of Helena H...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2000
• Where: CHES
• Authors: David Naccache, Michael Tunstall
• Keywords: CHES 2000, Cryptographic Device, Cryptology, Fault Attacks, Side-channel Attack Techniques