Method and integrated circuit for protecting against differential power analysis attacks
US8539254B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 1, 2010 |
| Grant date | Sep 17, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 18, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L2209/12
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for protecting against attacks on security of a programmable integrated circuit (IC). At least a portion of an encrypted bitstream input to the programmable IC is decrypted with a cryptographic key stored in the programmable IC. A number of failures to decrypt the encrypted bitstream is tracked. The tracked number is stored in a memory of the programmable IC that retains the number across on-off power cycles of the programmable IC. In response to the number of failures exceeding a threshold, data that prevents the decryption key from being used for a subsequent decryption of a bitstream is stored in the programmable IC.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.