Embedded Systems Anti-Reverse Engineering using Transient Electronics
Project ID:
P15_20
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Lei Wang
Email:
Co-Principal Investigator(s):
Dr. John Chandy
Topic Areas:
Secure Supply Chain Management
Abstract
In recent years, tampering and illegally reproducing hardware systems and has become increasingly successful. Tampering can allow attackers to modify the hardware or introduce malicious electronics into the system. Moreover, tampering can also reveal design details through reverse engineering that may compromise intellectual property. Current methods for the detection or prevention of tampering in embedded systems are dependent on physical sensors that often easily avoided. Moreover, they offer little protection against reverse engineering once the tamper protection methods are defeated. In this proposal, we introduce the use of transient electronics to prevent tampering and reverse engineering. Transient electronics are fabricated using materials that not only are electronically active but also change their electrical properties and physical compositions when experiencing invasive attacks. This behavior makes it an ideal anti-tampering and anti-reverse engineering technology.