Configuration and Collection Factors for Side-Channel Disassembly

TL;DR

This paper investigates how specific configuration and collection parameters affect the performance of side-channel analysis for instruction disassembly using a microcontroller, highlighting optimal settings and the importance of high sampling rates.

Contribution

It provides empirical insights into the impact of test parameters on side-channel disassembly performance, emphasizing the need for high sampling rates and specific configurations.

Findings

Optimal performance at 7V input, 1kΩ shunt, 250-500 MSa/s sampling rate

Configuration parameters significantly influence analysis accuracy

High sampling rates above Nyquist are necessary for effective disassembly

Abstract

Myriad uses, methodologies, and channels have been explored for side-channel analysis. However, specific implementation considerations are often unpublished. This paper explores select test configuration and collection parameters, such as input voltage, shunt resistance, sample rate, and microcontroller clock frequency, along with their impact on side-channel analysis performance. The analysis use case considered is instruction disassembly and classification using the microcontroller power side-channel. An ATmega328P microcontroller and a subset of the AVR instruction set are used in the experiments as the Device Under Test (DUT). A time-series convolutional neural network (CNN) is used to evaluate classification performance at clock-cycle fidelity. We conclude that configuration and collection parameters have a meaningful impact on performance, especially where the instruction-trace's signal to noise ratio (SNR) is impacted. Additionally, data collection and analysis well above the Nyquist rate is required for side-channel disassembly. We also found that 7V input voltage with 1 kiloohm shunt and a sample rate of 250-500 MSa/s provided optimal performance in our application, with diminishing returns or in some cases degradation at higher levels.