Enhancing Side-Channel Analysis with Low-Cost Shielding Techniques

Side-channel analysis (SCA) attacks are a powerful technique to reveal secrets of cryptographic devices due to implementation weaknesses. In order to make SCA less effective, countermeasures are integrated in cryptographic devices. In this work, we have built a low-cost shielding device to enhance SCA measurements. Our objectives have been to reduce the impact of noise that is typically caused by surrounding electromagnetic (EM) radiations. The number of traces in EM measurements that are needed to succeed an attack has been lowered significantly from 70 000 to 17 500. Our shielding device suppresses signals up to several GHz while its development costs lie below 300e.