A Power Consumption Randomization Countermeasure for DPA-Resistant Cryptographic Processors

Abstract

Attacks based on a differential power analysis (DPA) are a main threat when designing cryptographic processors. In this paper, a countermeasure against DPA is presented and evaluated on a case study simulation. It can be implemented, using a standard digital technology, by applying a straightforward transformation to the original design, without an actual redesign. A methodology to perform a DPA in simulation is presented which can be exploited to test the resistance of a cryptographic processor during its design flow. By using the above methodology, the proposed countermeasure shows a 30dB attenuation of the signals exploited by the DPA. Keywords: Differential power analysis, DPA, power analysis, countermeasures, chipcards, cryptography. © Springer-Verlag 2004.