Skip to main content
Log in

Scan-Based Attack on Stream Ciphers: A Case Study on eSTREAM Finalists

  • Regular Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Computer Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Scan-based design for test (DFT) is a powerful and the most popular testing technique. However, while scanbased DFT improves test efficiency, it also leaves a side channel to the privacy information stored in the chip. This paper investigates the side channel and proposes a simple but powerful scan-based attack that can reveal the key and/or state stored in the chips that implement the state-of-the-art stream ciphers with less than 85 scan-out vectors.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hély D, Flottes M L, Bancel F et al. Scan design and secure chip. In Proc. the 10th IEEE International On-Line Testing Symposium, Jul. 2004, pp.219-226.

  2. Josephson D D, Poehhnan S, Govan V. Debug methodology for the McKinley processor. InProc. the International Test Conference, Nov. 2001, pp.451-460.

  3. Skorobogatov S P, Anderson R J. Optical fault induction attacks. In Lecture Notes in Computer Science 2523, Kaliski B S, Koç C K, Paar C (eds.), Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2002, pp.2-12.

  4. Yang B, Wu K, Karri R. Secure scan: A design-for-test architecture for crypto chips. IEEE Trans. Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems, 2006, 25(10): 2287-2293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Kamal A A, Youssef A M. A scan-based side channel attack on the NTRUEncrypt cryptosystem. In Proc. the 7th International Conference on Availability, Reliability and Security, Aug. 2012, pp.402-409.

  6. Salehani Y E. Side channel attacks on symmetric key primitives [Master Thesis]. Concordia University, 2011. http://spectrum.library.concordia.ca/7765/1/EsmaeiliSalehani MA-Sc F2011.pdf, May 2014.

  7. Preneel B. A survey of recent developments in cryptographic algorithms for smart cards. Computer Networks, 2007, 51(9): 2223-2233.

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  8. Canteaut A. Open problems related to algebraic attacks on stream ciphers. In Lecture Notes in Computer Science 3969, Ytrehus ∅(ed.), Springer Berlin Heidelberg, pp.120-134.

  9. Hell M, Johansson T, Meier W. Grain: A stream cipher for constrained environments. International Journal of Wireless and Mobile Computing, 2007, 2(1): 86-93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Liu Y, Wu K, Karri R. Scan-based attacks on linear feedback shift register based stream ciphers. ACM Trans. Design Automation of Electronic Systems, 2011, 16(2), Article No.20.

  11. Mukhopadhyay D, Banerjee S, Roychowdhury D et al. CryptoScan: A secured scan chain architecture. In Proc. the 14th Asian Test Sysmposium, Dec. 2005, pp.348-353.

  12. Lee J, Tehranipoor M, Patel C et al. Securing scan design using lock and key technique. In Proc. the 20th IEEE International Symposium on Defect and Fault Tolerance in VLSI Systems, Oct. 2005, pp.51-62.

  13. Lee J, Tehranipoor M, Plusquellic J. A low-cost solution for protecting IPs against scan-based side-channel attacks. InProc. the 24th IEEE VLSI Test Symposium, April 30-May 4, 2006, pp.94-99.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kai-Jie Wu.

Additional information

This work is partially supported by the National High Technology Research and Development 863 Program of China under Grant No. 2013AA013202, the Key Programs for Science and Technology Development of Chongqing of China under Grant No. cstc2012ggC40005, the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 61173014, and the National Science Foundation of USA under Grant No. CNS-1015802.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(PDF 245 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zou, MH., Ma, K., Wu, KJ. et al. Scan-Based Attack on Stream Ciphers: A Case Study on eSTREAM Finalists. J. Comput. Sci. Technol. 29, 646–655 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11390-014-1456-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11390-014-1456-3

Keywords

Navigation