CAREER: Toward Power Delivery Network-aware Hardware Security

电子计算硬件构成了我们信息系统和网络基础设施的基础。计算机芯片物理安全面临的威胁和对策已被广泛研究。然而，拥有系统物理访问权限的攻击者仍然可以绕过常规防御，威胁系统的安全。例如，篡改计算机芯片的印刷电路板或移除其封装以读出存储在其上的密钥。此类攻击起源于微电子供应链的不同阶段，由于对硬件级别发生的事件缺乏认识，因此无法仅通过传统的软件安全保护来解决。该项目研究可以保护电子计算硬件免受源自微电子供应链不同阶段的复杂物理攻击的技术。这个项目的核心是更好地了解计算机的物理层，即其电力输送网络(PDN)及其在实现安全和可信硬件方面的作用。有三个研究方向需要研究：(1)融合现有的用于分析基于PDN的签名的统计度量，实现非侵入性的、全面的、无金色的和根本原因感知的篡改检测；(2)使用信息论的概念来调查基于PDN的侧信道攻击的强度(即，阻抗分析)并开发对策；(3)创建基于PDN的传感器和指纹来监控物理完整性系统。该项目的成功成果将显著提高计算硬件的安全性。此外，该项目还包括各种外展活动，如组织特别会议和教程、开源基准，以及让高中生接触基本电路概念和简单的电气诊断工具。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Electronic computing hardware forms the foundation of our information systems and cyberinfrastructure. The threats to the physical security of computer chips and countermeasures have been widely researched. However, adversaries with physical access to the system can still bypass conventional defenses and threaten the systems’ security. Examples include tampering with the printed circuit board of a computer chip or removing its package to read out secret keys stored on it. Such attacks, originating at various stages of the microelectronics supply chain, cannot be addressed solely by conventional software security protections due to the lack of awareness about the events occurring at the hardware level.This project investigates technologies that can secure electronic computing hardware against sophisticated physical attacks originating at various stages of the microelectronics supply chain. Central to this project is a better understanding of the computing machine's physical layer, i.e., its power delivery network (PDN) and its role in achieving secure and trusted hardware. There are three research thrusts to investigate: (1) Fusing the existing statistical metrics used for the analysis of PDN-based signatures, enabling non-invasive, holistic, golden-free, and root cause-aware tamper detection; (2) Using information-theoretic notions to investigate the strength of PDN-based side-channel attacks (i.e., impedance analysis) and developing countermeasures; (3) Creating the PDN-based sensors and fingerprints to monitor the physical integrity system. Successful outcomes of this project will significantly improve the security of computing hardware. Moreover, this project includes various outreach activities, such as organizing special sessions and tutorials, open-sourcing benchmarks, and exposing high school students to basic circuit concepts and simple electrical diagnosis tools.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.