Crosstalk-Based Hardware Trojan In Low Power Designs

In this paper, we present a novel approach that demonstrates how an attacker can exploit the crosstalk phenomenon between critical nets and power supply networks, in designs featuring multiple voltage domains. By capitalizing on switching a power domain, the assailant can obscure trojan-triggering signals or manipulate the system’s functionality maliciously. Our findings shed light on the potential vulnerabilities arising from power domain interactions and underscore the importance of robust physical design methodologies for ensuring system security and trustworthiness. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate how the functionality of the design can be altered.