Using Supply Voltage Metal Layers as Low Cost Means to Hinder Several Types of Physical Attacks

摘要

In this paper, we describe the idea of using the metallization layers uséd for supplying ICs with V_(DD) and GND as a low-cost countermeasure for semi-invasive front-side attacks. The core of our idea is to realize both supply voltages - GND and V_(DD) - no longer fixed on metal one but to shift them up in different top metal layers and to implement it both as metal plane. This helps to prevent semiinvasive attacks that require an optical access to the transistor level while the device is fully functional. An additional countermeasure effect may be hindering of EMA, PA and microprobing. Early experiments with a simple 3x3 multiplier show that our idea can be used with standard layout tools such as encounter from synopsis.