Hardware Trojans - Prevention, Detection, Countermeasures (A Literature Review)

Abstract

Abstract : A Hardware Trojan is a malicious, undesired, intentional modification of an electronic circuit or design, resulting in the incorrect behaviour of an electronic device when in operation - a back-door that can be inserted into hardware. A Hardware Trojan may be able to defeat any and all security mechanisms (software or hardware-based) and subvert or augment the normal operation of an infected device. This may result in modifications to the functionality or specification of the hardware, the leaking of sensitive information, or a Denial of Service (DoS) attack. Understanding Hardware Trojans is vital when developing next generation defensive mechanisms for the development and deployment of electronics in the presence of the Hardware Trojan threat. Research over the past five years has primarily focussed on detecting the presence of Hardware Trojans in infected devices. This report reviews the state-of-the-art in Hardware Trojans, from the threats they pose through to modern prevention, detection and countermeasure techniques.