Side Channel Attacks - Highly Promising Directions in Modern Cryptanalysis
Vlastimil Klíma, Tomáš Rosa
Abstract
The traditional cryptanalysis tends to examine cryptosystems as purely abstract
mathematical functions without any direct connection with the objective physical
reality. The theory and practice of side channels is completely changing such
an understanding of cryptanalysis. In a short time after being introduced
(in 1996 by Dr. Paul Kocher), it brought us fascinating results which would be very
hard to achieve when viewing the cryptanalysis in the traditional way. In the speech,
we briefly introduce the theory of side channel cryptanalysis and point out several
interesting thoughs behind side channel attacks.
Position
RNDr. Vlastimil Klíma graduated in mathematical analysis at the Faculty of Mathematics
and Physics of the Charles University, Prague. In his career, he has distinguished
himself as the leading Czech cryptologist. For 10 years, he worked for the state
administration (Ministry of Interior, Czech Army HQ). He has been working in the
private sector for the last 10 years. At present, he is with ICZ a.s.
Tomáš Rosa, MSc., graduated in theoretical computer science at the Faculty of
Electrical Engineering at the Czech Technical University in Prague. At present
he is a postgraduate fellow at the Department of Computer Science, FEE, CTU in Prague.
He works very intensively in the area of side channel cryptanalysis.
Together with Dr. Klíma, he has contributed to this area by discovering new effective
attacking methods. Besides their theoretical merits, these methods can be directly
employed in practical attacks on contemporary security modules. He is chief cryptologist
with ICZ a.s.