Introduction to Physics Cybersecurity

Overview

Teaching: 100 min
Exercises: 0 min

Questions

• Key question (FIXME)

Objectives

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Module 1: Introduction to Physics Cybersecurity Overview

Cybersecurity threats involving physics often exploit physical principles to compromise systems. Here are some key threats:

1. Electromagnetic Eavesdropping (TEMPEST Attacks)

• Electromagnetic emissions from electronic devices (monitors, keyboards, processors) can be intercepted remotely.
• Attackers can reconstruct signals from unintentional emissions.
• Countermeasures: Shielding, Faraday cages, and secure hardware designs.

2. Radio Frequency (RF) Hacking

• Unauthorized access to wireless communications (WiFi, Bluetooth, RFID).
• RF jamming attacks disrupt signals and prevent communication.
• Software-Defined Radios (SDR) can be used for signal interception and manipulation.
• Countermeasures: Encryption, frequency hopping, and anti-jamming techniques.

3. Acoustic Side-Channel Attacks

• Sounds emitted by keyboards, printers, or hard drives can be analyzed to infer data.
• Attackers can use sensitive microphones or AI models to reconstruct typed passwords.
• Countermeasures: Noise generators, soundproofing, and randomized typing patterns.

4. Power Analysis Attacks

• Monitoring power consumption variations to extract encryption keys.
• Used in cryptographic attacks like Differential Power Analysis (DPA).
• Countermeasures: Power obfuscation techniques, secure cryptographic implementations.

5. Laser-Based Attacks

• Lasers can be used to inject signals into electronic circuits remotely (e.g., attacking voice assistants via MEMS microphones).
• Optical sensors in cameras or other devices can be blinded or manipulated.
• Countermeasures: Optical shielding, secure microphone designs.

6. Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Attacks

• Inducing faults in electronic systems using electromagnetic pulses (e.g., hardware glitches, data corruption).
• Intentional EMI attacks can crash systems or disrupt critical infrastructure.
• Countermeasures: Shielding, EMI-resistant hardware, and redundancy.

7. Thermal Side-Channel Attacks

• Thermal residue left on keypads or touchscreens can reveal passwords.
• Attackers use thermal cameras to analyze heat signatures.
• Countermeasures: Randomized touch interactions, heat-resistant keypads.

8. Hardware Trojans & Supply Chain Attacks

• Malicious modifications in hardware during manufacturing.
• Exploits could enable remote control, data leaks, or system sabotage.
• Countermeasures: Secure supply chains, hardware verification techniques.

Key Points

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