Public-key Cryptography: Theory and Practice

7.2. Side-Channel Attacks

Side-channel attacks refer to a class of cryptanalytic tools for determining a private key by measuring signals (like timing, power fluctuation, electromagnetic radiation) from or by inducing faults in the device performing operations involving the private key. In this section, we describe three methods of side-channel cryptanalysis: timing attack, power attack and fault attack.

7.2.1. Timing Attack

Paul C. Kocher introduced the concept of side-channel cryptanalysis in his seminal paper [155] on timing attacks. Though not unreasonable, timing attacks are somewhat difficult to mount in practice.

Details of the attack

The private-key operation in many cryptographic systems (like RSA or discrete-log-based systems) is ...