Hardware Security (CS60004) Spring 2024-25

This course will focus on the importance of addressing different security threats on modern hardware design, manufacturing, installation, and operating practices. In particular, the threats would be shown to be relevant at scales ranging from a single user to an entire nation's public infrastructure. Through theoretical analyses and relevant practical world case studies, the threats would demonstrated, and then state-of-the-art defense techniques would be described. The course would borrow concepts from diverse fields of study such as cryptography, hardware design, circuit testing, algorithms, and machine learning. See the course schedule for details.

Instructors


Debdeep Mukhopadhyay
debdeep@cse.iitkgp.ac.in

Sarani Bhattacharya
sarani@cse.iitkgp.ac.in

Teaching Assistants


Siddhartha Chowdhury
siddhartha.chowdhury92@gmail.com

Bhuvnesh Chaturvedi
bhuvneshchaturvedi2512@gmail.com

Course Information

Prerequisites We will use broad concepts from Algorithms and Cryptography. Most of the background, either in Cryptography or hardware design will be developed in the class.
Lectures Lecture timings are:

Monday 8:00 am - 9:55 pm
Tuesday 12:00 pm - 12:55 pm
Textbook We will be using:

1. Hardware Security: Design, Threats, and Safeguards, CRC Press, by Debdeep Mukhopadhyay, Rajat Subhra Chakraborty
2. Timing Channels in Cryptography, Springer, by Chester Rebeiro, Debdeep Mukhopadhyay, Sarani Bhattacharya
Reference Books:
1. Hardware Security: A Hands-on Learning Approach by Swarup Bhunia, Mark Tehranipoor
2. Towards Hardware-Intrinsic Security: Foundations and Practice by Sadeghi, Ahmad-Reza, Naccache, David (Eds.)
3. Handbook of FPGA Design Security by Huffmire, T., Irvine, C., Nguyen, T.D., Levin, T., Kastner, R., Sherwood, T.
4. Power Analysis Attacks - Revealing the Secrets of Smart Cards by Mangard, Stefan, Oswald, Elisabeth, Popp, Thomas
5. Cryptography Theory and Practice, Third Edition, by Douglas Stinson
Coursework The coursework consists of semi-regular quizzes, class-tests and take-home assignments.
Communication We will update the course schedule regularly throughout the course.

Assignment / Scribes / Quizzes
  • Current plan is to both distribute and collect the regular quizzes via CSE Moodle. Please join the course there. Use the access code mentioned in class. Also provided in the teams link.

Live lectures / recordings

  • Note that you NEED TO come to the classes for this course. We will also share some recordings of pre-recorded lectures via NPTEL, but they are not replacements for the classes. Drop the instructors an email ASAP if you cannot attend classes due to some medical etc. emergency.
  • We will use with the channels on Microsoft teams for sharing of course materials, have announcements, etc. The teams link is as follows: Teams Link. Please check that channel regularly.
  • We will also include links to pre-recorded lectures in the "Required Readings and Videos" section of the course schedule. Please check it regularly.

General discussion

  • We'll use Microsoft Teams for general discussion and questions about course material.
  • You should already have the account username and password to log into Microsoft teams. If you cannot access the  Microsoft teams classroom titled "Hardware Security" please let the instructors know as soon as possible.
  • If you need to reach out to the instructors (e.g., pertaining to an illness or other events that might be impacting your performance in class), please send an email to the instructors. Feel free to use the Microsoft teams chatroom (and channels) to discuss publicly with your peers in real-time.
  • Please try to keep all course-related communication to Microsoft Teams rather than email.
Late and Ethical policy We will accept the take home assignments/scribes 24 hours late with a 15% penalty. Assignments more than a day late will not be accepted without a previously approved extension. We expect that the assignments will be done by the students without adopting any unfair means. Use of AI tools is not admonished, but remember that results from AI tools are not necessarily correct, and that you are responsible for your submissions. Also, in all cases your understanding of the solutions could be evaluated through discussions, and if found lacking can be penalized either partially or completely, depending on the case.

Of course, in exceptional circumstances related to personal emergencies, serious illness, wellness concerns, family emergencies, and similar, please make the course staff aware of your situation and we will do our best to find a mutually agreeable solution.