Software security challenges in the era of modern hardware

Paccagnella, Riccardo

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/121442 Copy

Description

Title

Software security challenges in the era of modern hardware

Author(s)

Paccagnella, Riccardo

Issue Date

2023-07-05

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Fletcher, Christopher

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Fletcher, Christopher

Committee Member(s)

• Baumann, Andrew
• Torrellas, Josep
• Bailey, Michael
• Shacham, Hovav
• Yan, Mengjia

Department of Study

Computer Science

Discipline

Computer Science

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• hardware security
• side-channel attacks
• constant-time programming
• resource partitioning
• computer processors
• frequency scaling
• on-chip interconnect

Abstract

Today's hardware cannot keep secrets. Indeed, the past two decades have seen the discovery of a slew of attacks where an adversary exploits hardware features to leak software's sensitive data. These attacks have shaken the foundations of computer security and caused a disruption in the software industry. Fortunately, there has been a saving grace, namely the widespread adoption of models that have enabled developers to build secure software while comprehensively preventing hardware vulnerabilities. This dissertation studies these prevailing models for building secure software and evaluates the extent to which they break down in the context of today's hardware. In the first part, we introduce Hertzbleed attacks, demonstrating that the principles underpinning constant-time programming are inadequate to guarantee constant-time execution of software. In the second part, we introduce interconnect side-channel attacks, demonstrating that the current implementation principles for resource partitioning are inadequate to guarantee software isolation. Both vulnerabilities are not mere extensions of existing ones but rather constitute entirely new attack vectors, which undermine established defenses. We present an in-depth examination of these new attacks and discuss their implications for secure software design.

Graduation Semester

2023-08

Type of Resource

Thesis

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2023 Riccardo Paccagnella

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