Can I perform side channel analysis on a USB stick or other embedded electronics?
Yes. By using the EM Probe Station the electro-magnetic field emanating from an embedded chip can be measured during encryption or decryption. On these measurements an attack can be mounted just as with a smartcard. Power Analysis can also be performed on an embedded device. However, this requires modification of the target by installing a shunt resistor in the power line. With a differential probe the current through this resistor is measured. LeCroy provides differential probes and Riscure is developing a differential probe with gain. Additionally two things are needed: communication between the target and Inspector and a trigger signal from the device for the oscilloscope. If a propriety communication protocol is running on the embedded processor the user can program a communication interface on the processor that communicates over the serial port or over TCPIP. Serial port and TCPIP drivers are included in Inspector. With a propriety communication protocol running on a USB key then
