A hardware Trojan embedded in the Inverse Widlar reference generator

Architectural vulnerabilities in basic analog circuits that can be exploited to embed analog hardware Trojans are identified. Challenges of detecting the presence of analog hardware Trojans are discussed. An example is presented of a simple widely used reference generator that incorporates an embedded analog hardware Trojan that requires no extra circuit components, no area overhead, and that leaves no signature in the power bus. An implementation of this reference generator in a 0.13μm CMOS process with a 1.2V voltage supply is described along with simulation results.

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