Detection of laser-based security attacks
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorsAlan Lewis, Zhengming Fu, Nan Chen, Adam Polak, Laura Fuentes, Gregory Bullard, Mark Todorovich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments include integrated approaches to detecting attempts to breach system-level or chip-level security using photo-generated currents induced by lasers or other radiation sources. Various embodiments integrate photo-detection circuits with a secure processor or other circuit in such a manner that the response to a security attack is fast enough to prevent loss of secure or private information are described. Various embodiments include circuits capable of providing a permanent record of photocurrent detection.
Claims6
A method of detecting an incident of radiation on a photocurrent detection circuit, comprising:
- determining whether a change in logic state of a logic circuit occurs indicating that a photocurrent is induced on the photocurrent detection circuit by radiation, wherein the photocurrent detection circuit comprises:
- a first N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) device electrically connected to a first P-type MOS device to form the logic circuit, wherein the logic circuit is an inverter;
- and
- an inverting buffer, wherein an input of the inverting buffer is coupled to an output of the inverter;
- determining that the photocurrent induced by radiation exists in response to determining that a change in the logic state of the logic circuit occurred;
- and
- performing a countermeasure in response to determining that the photocurrent induced by radiation exists, wherein the countermeasure comprises disabling buffers in clock or data paths due to the photocurrent induced by radiation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.