Fault injection attacks (FIA) are a growing concern in the realm of cryptographic systems, as they exploit hardware vulnerabilities to compromise security. These attacks involve deliberately introducing faults into a device's operation, such as through voltage glitching, electromagnetic pulses, or laser injections, to manipulate its behavior and extract sensitive information like cryptographic keys. Recent studies have demonstrated the practicality of these attacks on widely used architectures, including ARM and Intel processors, with the necessary equipment often costing less than a thousand dollars. This accessibility makes FIA a significant threat, especially when attackers have physical access to the target device. nature.com
In response to the increasing threat of fault injection attacks, researchers are developing robust countermeasures to enhance the security of cryptographic implementations. For instance, a recent study proposed an efficient fault detection method for the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm, achieving a fault detection capability of over 99%. This method involves restructuring the AES architecture to include additional registers that help identify faults during operation, thereby improving both security and reliability. Additionally, the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) has prompted a systematic review of fault injection attacks targeting IoT systems. These attacks can disrupt the functioning of devices by introducing glitches into hardware components, leading to altered software behavior. The literature suggests various techniques for mitigating these attacks, including hybrid detection methods that combine hardware and software approaches, as well as the use of machine learning to enhance security. nature.com