Towards a Software Approach to Mitigate Correlation Power Analysis

Ibraheem Frieslaar, Barry Irwin

2016

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 decreased from 82% to 51.4% on the ATxmega microcontroller.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Frieslaar I. and Irwin B. (2016). Towards a Software Approach to Mitigate Correlation Power Analysis . In Proceedings of the 13th International Joint Conference on e-Business and Telecommunications - Volume 4: SECRYPT, (ICETE 2016) ISBN 978-989-758-196-0, pages 403-410. DOI: 10.5220/0005955604030410

in Bibtex Style

@conference{secrypt16,
author={Ibraheem Frieslaar and Barry Irwin},
title={Towards a Software Approach to Mitigate Correlation Power Analysis},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 13th International Joint Conference on e-Business and Telecommunications - Volume 4: SECRYPT, (ICETE 2016)},
year={2016},
pages={403-410},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0005955604030410},
isbn={978-989-758-196-0},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF
JO - Proceedings of the 13th International Joint Conference on e-Business and Telecommunications - Volume 4: SECRYPT, (ICETE 2016)
TI - Towards a Software Approach to Mitigate Correlation Power Analysis
SN - 978-989-758-196-0
AU - Frieslaar I.
AU - Irwin B.
PY - 2016
SP - 403
EP - 410
DO - 10.5220/0005955604030410