Side-Channel Security: Developing a Side Channel Mindset
Graz University of Technology
Daniel Gruß
Sobre
Conteúdo
Conteúdo do curso
Side channels are everywhere. They are incredibly powerful and have disrupted the world in the last years, especially with attacks like Meltdown and Spectre that impacted most computers on the planet. You also have seen side channels and used them already yourself. In this course, you will learn and practice the side-channel mindset and how to spot side channels in the real-world and how to use them in non-technical and semi-technical settings.
Objetivos do curso
After completing this course, you will:
- be able to spot side-channel leakage in real world scenarios
- have gained a high-level overview of the history of side channels
- have gained an overview of different side channels relevant today
- be able to connect these security risks with methods to mitigate and close side channels
Conhecimento prévio
No formal prerequisites.
Procedimento do curso
There are 5 parts (episodes+exercises) in this course:
- Episode 1: Side Channels are Everywhere
In this episode, the flat mates learn basic definitions and look out for side channels in the real world. Interestingly, we have all been using them already.
- Episode 2: The Door
Daniel and Jonas find a secret door in a dark university cellar. They try various side channels to open the door but in the end find a shocking revelation. You will get to know several side channel techniques.
- Episode 3: The Criminal Mind
Daniel challenges the other flat mates to figure out how to win the card game "The Mind". The flat mates try various side channels to stealthily coordinate and transmit information. You will learn how to find covert channels and covert coordination techniques in the real-world.
- Episode 4: Clever Hans
We get a brief over view of the history of side channels and the flat mates try to win the card game "Hanabi" in which you cannot see your own cards. They try to use side channels to still obtain information about their own cards. You will improve your skills in covertly coordinating and in using side channels to infer what another person intended.
- Episode 5: Poker Face
The flat mates are worried about how to defend against all these attacks. In a game of "Coup" they try side-channel mitigation strategies and hide their own secrets from the other players. You will learn what the basic idea of side-channel mitigation is about.
Certificado
For actively participating in the course you will receive an automatic certificate which includes your name, the course name as well as the completed lessons. We want to point out that this certificate merely confirms that you answered at least 75% of the self-assessment questions correctly.Licença
This work is licensed under CC BY 4.0Discussion
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Discussion Guidelines
Both Discord and the discussion forums are where you can express thoughts, develop ideas, and engage with classmates and instructors. Please review discussion postings before posting your own to avoid redundancy. When adding a forum post, mark it as a Question or a Discussion. Questions raise issues that need answers, whereas Discussions share ideas and start conversations. Do not post solutions or links to solutions to quiz questions or homework assignments anywhere. Give your message a meaningful title. Use common writing practices for online communication. Participation on Discord and in the discussion forums is voluntary, but we encourage participation to get to know everyone else taking the course. We, the instructors and TAs, will answer your questions on both platforms of course.
Academic Policy
The course follows the academic policy of TU Graz.
Instrutor do curso
Daniel Gruß
Daniel Gruss (@lavados) is a University Professor at Graz University of Technology. He loves teaching and research of system-level topics, including side channels and transient execution attacks. He implemented the first remote fault attack running in a website, known as Rowhammer.js. His research team was one of the teams that found the Meltdown and Spectre bugs, published in early 2018. In 2023, he received an ERC Starting Grant to research the sustainability of security. He frequently speaks at top international venues.
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Parceiros
Graz University of Technology
Graz