A Comprehensive Survey on the Non-Invasive Passive Side-Channel Analysis

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Information Security
• Cryptography

Background:

• Side-channel analysis is a significant threat to cryptographic implementations.
• Attacks are prevalent in both hardware and software, especially in the Internet of Things (IoT) where physical access is common.
• Over twenty years of research have yielded numerous attacks and countermeasures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive survey of non-invasive passive side-channel analysis.
• To consolidate knowledge on various attack types, security metrics, and defense mechanisms.
• To highlight leakage assessment methodologies in the field.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of over twenty years of research on side-channel analysis.
• Categorization of attacks into non-profiled and profiled types.
• Analysis of existing countermeasures and leakage assessment techniques.

Main Results:

• Detailed overview of non-invasive passive side-channel attacks and their variations.
• Discussion of security metrics used to evaluate the effectiveness of countermeasures.
• Compilation of various leakage assessment methodologies.

Conclusions:

• Non-invasive passive side-channel analysis remains a critical security concern for cryptographic systems.
• A wide array of attacks and countermeasures exist, necessitating ongoing research in leakage assessment.
• The survey provides a valuable resource for understanding and mitigating side-channel threats in cryptographic implementations, especially for IoT devices.