Preventing Distinguishability between Multiplication and Squaring Operations
This paper addresses the persistent side-channel vulnerability of scalar multiplication in ECC, proposing and analyzing two mitigation techniques—data redirection and bus reloading—to counter energy consumption variations during field multiplication.
Abstract
More Like ThisScalar multiplication kP is a critical operation in Elliptic Curve Cryptosystems (ECC), often targeted by Side-Channel Analysis (SCA). Despite strategies based on atomic patterns to enhance security, the binary kP algorithms remain susceptible to simple SCA due to energy consumption variations in field multipliers during passing two different or two identical operands. This vulnerability arises independent of the multiplication method used. We implemented and analysed two mitigation techniques: one involving data redirection and another focusing on bus reloading.