Research on Security Technology of Processor Branch Prediction

To improve the execution efficiency, modern processors have introduced branch prediction mechanism, but this also brings new vulnerabilities at the same time. In this paper, attack and defense techniques for processor branch prediction are investigated and classified. Attack techniques are divided into attacks against structural vulnerabilities and attacks against side channel. Also, defense techniques are divided into defense against branch predictors and defense against cache side channels. Then their introduction is given in detail. Next a branch prediction security architecture model is proposed, with its feasibility and security demonstrated. At last, this paper summarizes the shortcomings of the current defense techniques and looks forward to the future trend of branch prediction defense, which provides a reference for the design of processor branch prediction security.