US 12,277,220 B2
Method and device for detecting a profiling attack
Nikita Veshchikov, Brussels (BE); and Jack Connor, Biggar (GB)
Assigned to NXP B.V., Eindhoven (NL)
Filed by NXP B.V., Eindhoven (NL)
Filed on Feb. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/651,247.
Prior Publication US 2023/0259618 A1, Aug. 17, 2023
Int. Cl. G06F 21/55 (2013.01)
CPC G06F 21/556 (2013.01) [G06F 2221/034 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for detecting a profiling attack for acquiring side-channel measurements to be used in a profiled side-channel attack on an electronic device, the method comprising:
causing provisioning of the device with a key and causing key operations using the key;
incrementing a total key provisions counter value of a total key provisions counter in response to provisioning of the device with the key, and updating a counter value of a total operations counter corresponding to a total number of operations using provisioned keys with which the device has been provisioned;
detecting a predetermined relationship between the total key provisions counter value and the total operations counter value; and
providing an indication of the profiling attack in response to the relationship meeting a predetermined criterion;
wherein the key is a valid key and the total operations counter value corresponds to a number of operations performed by the device using provisioned keys, each of which is a valid key.