Intel corporation (20240330550). DETECTING POTENTIAL SECURITY ISSUES IN A HARDWARE DESIGN USING REGISTER TRANSFER LEVEL (RTL) INFORMATION FLOW TRACKING simplified abstract

DETECTING POTENTIAL SECURITY ISSUES IN A HARDWARE DESIGN USING REGISTER TRANSFER LEVEL (RTL) INFORMATION FLOW TRACKING

Organization Name

intel corporation

Inventor(s)

Benjamin Gras of Naarden (NL)

Daniël Trujillo of Zurich (CH)

DETECTING POTENTIAL SECURITY ISSUES IN A HARDWARE DESIGN USING REGISTER TRANSFER LEVEL (RTL) INFORMATION FLOW TRACKING - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240330550 titled 'DETECTING POTENTIAL SECURITY ISSUES IN A HARDWARE DESIGN USING REGISTER TRANSFER LEVEL (RTL) INFORMATION FLOW TRACKING

The abstract of this patent application describes a method for detecting security issues in a hardware design using dataflow tracking without directly modifying the hardware description language (HDL).

• Dataflows within a hardware design are tracked based on specified taint sources.
• Baseline and injection simulation trace logs are obtained to compare dataflows under normal and altered conditions.
• Security issues are identified by applying a policy to the dataflows.

1. 1. 1. Potential Applications:

- Hardware security testing - Vulnerability assessment in hardware designs - Security validation in integrated circuits

1. 1. 1. Problems Solved:

- Detecting security vulnerabilities in hardware designs - Ensuring data integrity in integrated circuits - Enhancing overall system security

1. 1. 1. Benefits:

- Improved security measures in hardware development - Early detection of potential security threats - Enhanced reliability of hardware systems

1. 1. 1. Commercial Applications:
         1. Title: Hardware Security Validation Tool

This technology can be utilized by hardware manufacturers, cybersecurity firms, and government agencies to ensure the security and integrity of hardware systems. It can be integrated into the design and testing phases of hardware development to proactively identify and address security issues.

1. 1. 1. Prior Art:

Prior research in hardware security testing and vulnerability assessment tools can provide insights into similar approaches and methodologies used in the field.

1. 1. 1. Frequently Updated Research:

Stay updated on the latest advancements in hardware security testing, dataflow tracking techniques, and vulnerability assessment tools to enhance the effectiveness of security measures in hardware designs.

1. 1. 1. 1. Questions about Hardware Security Validation:

1. How does dataflow tracking without instrumenting the HDL improve security testing in hardware designs? 2. What are the key differences between baseline and injection simulation trace logs in detecting security issues?

Original Abstract Submitted

embodiments described herein are generally directed to detecting security issues in a hardware design using ift. in an example, dataflows are tracked within a hardware design represented in an hdl without instrumenting the hdl. dataflow primitives are received specifying taint sources from which the dataflows are to be tracked. a baseline simulation trace log is obtained for a baseline rtl simulation of the hardware design by causing a simulator to perform the baseline rtl simulation during which none of the taint sources are altered. injection simulation trace logs are obtained for injection rtl simulations by causing the simulator to perform an injection rtl simulation, for each taint source, during which the taint source is altered. the dataflows are then identified based on comparisons between the baseline and the injection simulation trace logs. a potential security issue is detected within the hardware design by applying a policy to the dataflows.