Protecting the Secrets: Advanced Technique for Active Tamper Detection Systems

Cryptographic modules and security circuits are the kernels of every piece of equipment that process security data. No matter where they are deployed, the equipment must be protected against physical attacks, as no one can access the electronic circuits that process the security data: firmware implementations, cryptographic keys and secret data. The most effective way to protect this kind of electronic circuits is to wrap them in a special conductive mesh and probe it with proper signals in order to detect intrusions. This paper provides a complete solution for intrusions detection: a system made of a special conductive mesh and an active tamper detection circuit. The conductive mesh consists of three layers that detect intrusions earlier than the effective penetration of the mesh. The active tamper detection circuit is designed to probe the mesh with signals that cannot be emulated by an adversary.