A Tolerant Algebraic Side-Channel Attack on AES Using CP

Abstract

AES is a mainstream block cipher used in many protocols and whose resilience against attack is essential for cybersecurity. In [14], Oren et al. discuss a Tolerant Algebraic Side-Channel Analysis (TASCA) and show how to use optimization technology to exploit side-channel information and mount a computational attack against AES. This paper revisits the results and posits that Constraint Programming is a strong contender and a potent optimization solution. It extends bit-vector solving as introduced in [8], develops a CP and an IP model and compares them with the original Pseudo-Boolean formulation. The empirical results establish that CP can deliver solutions with orders of magnitude improvement in both run time and memory usage, traits that are essential to potential adoption by cryptographers.