A novel hardware Trojan detection method based on side-channel analysis and PCA algorithm

Malicious modification of integrated circuits, namely Hardware Trojan, has emerged as a major security threat. Since it is extremely difficult to detect the presence of such small Trojan circuits using only logic test or side-channel analysis, this paper presents a novel test method combining logic test and side-channel test together. An 18-bit CORDIC IP core is adopted as a golden circuit, while a 2-bit counter is applied as a Trojan circuit. The automatic test platform is set up with Xilinx FPGA, LabVIEW software, and high precision oscilloscope. Meanwhile, the power traces of power supplies V_ccint or V_ccaux in FPGA are both monitored to enhance the detection sensitivity. The relevant test flow chart is also depicted in detail. Experimental results demonstrate that the novel test method can easily achieve about 0.1% Trojan detection sensitivity when principal component analysis approach is adopted as the data processing algorithm.