Transistor Timings as a Side Channel
Side Channels: The Basics A side channel is any unintended information leakage from a computation's physical implementation. You're not breaking the algorithm — you're watching the hardware run the algorithm and inferring secrets from physical observables. The classic side channels: Timing: How long a computation takes Power: How much energy it draws Electromagnetic emanation: What RF signals the chip emits Acoustic: What sounds the hardware makes (yes, really) Cache behavior: Which memory lines are accessed Transistor-Level Timing Why Timing Varies A transistor's switching time depends on physical conditions: ...