Physical and Software Based Fault Injection Attacks Against TEEs in Mobile Devices: A Systemisation of Knowledge

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Joy, Aaron, Soh, Ben, Zhang, Zhi, Parameswaran, Sri, Jayasinghe, Darshana
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Joy, Aaron
Soh, Ben
Zhang, Zhi
Parameswaran, Sri
Jayasinghe, Darshana
author_facet Joy, Aaron
Soh, Ben
Zhang, Zhi
Parameswaran, Sri
Jayasinghe, Darshana
contents Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) are critical components of modern secure computing, providing isolated zones in processors to safeguard sensitive data and execute secure operations. Despite their importance, TEEs are increasingly vulnerable to fault injection (FI) attacks, including both physical methods, such as Electromagnetic Fault Injection (EMFI), and software-based techniques. This survey examines these FI methodologies, exploring their ability to disrupt TEE operations and expose vulnerabilities in devices ranging from smartphones and IoT systems to cloud platforms. The study highlights the evolution and effectiveness of non-invasive techniques, such as EMFI, which induce faults through electromagnetic disturbances without physical modifications to hardware, making them harder to detect and mitigate. Real-world case studies illustrate the significant risks posed by these attacks, including unauthorised access, privilege escalation, and data corruption. In addition, the survey identifies gaps in existing TEE security architectures and emphasises the need for enhanced countermeasures, such as dynamic anomaly detection and updated threat models. The findings underline the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to address these vulnerabilities, involving researchers, manufacturers, and policymakers. This survey provides actionable insights and recommendations to guide the development of more robust TEE architectures in mobile devices, fortify FI resilience, and shape global security standards. By advancing TEE security, this research aims to protect critical digital infrastructure and maintain trust in secure computing systems worldwide.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2411_14878
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Physical and Software Based Fault Injection Attacks Against TEEs in Mobile Devices: A Systemisation of Knowledge
Joy, Aaron
Soh, Ben
Zhang, Zhi
Parameswaran, Sri
Jayasinghe, Darshana
Cryptography and Security
Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) are critical components of modern secure computing, providing isolated zones in processors to safeguard sensitive data and execute secure operations. Despite their importance, TEEs are increasingly vulnerable to fault injection (FI) attacks, including both physical methods, such as Electromagnetic Fault Injection (EMFI), and software-based techniques. This survey examines these FI methodologies, exploring their ability to disrupt TEE operations and expose vulnerabilities in devices ranging from smartphones and IoT systems to cloud platforms. The study highlights the evolution and effectiveness of non-invasive techniques, such as EMFI, which induce faults through electromagnetic disturbances without physical modifications to hardware, making them harder to detect and mitigate. Real-world case studies illustrate the significant risks posed by these attacks, including unauthorised access, privilege escalation, and data corruption. In addition, the survey identifies gaps in existing TEE security architectures and emphasises the need for enhanced countermeasures, such as dynamic anomaly detection and updated threat models. The findings underline the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to address these vulnerabilities, involving researchers, manufacturers, and policymakers. This survey provides actionable insights and recommendations to guide the development of more robust TEE architectures in mobile devices, fortify FI resilience, and shape global security standards. By advancing TEE security, this research aims to protect critical digital infrastructure and maintain trust in secure computing systems worldwide.
title Physical and Software Based Fault Injection Attacks Against TEEs in Mobile Devices: A Systemisation of Knowledge
topic Cryptography and Security
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.14878