EIM-TRNG: Obfuscating Deep Neural Network Weights with Encoding-in-Memory True Random Number Generator via RowHammer

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Zhou, Ranyang, Almalky, Abeer Matar A., Aragonda, Gamana, Ahmed, Sabbir, Trønnes-Christensen, Filip Roth, Rakin, Adnan Siraj, Angizi, Shaahin
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Zhou, Ranyang
Almalky, Abeer Matar A.
Aragonda, Gamana
Ahmed, Sabbir
Trønnes-Christensen, Filip Roth
Rakin, Adnan Siraj
Angizi, Shaahin
author_facet Zhou, Ranyang
Almalky, Abeer Matar A.
Aragonda, Gamana
Ahmed, Sabbir
Trønnes-Christensen, Filip Roth
Rakin, Adnan Siraj
Angizi, Shaahin
contents True Random Number Generators (TRNGs) play a fundamental role in hardware security, cryptographic systems, and data protection. In the context of Deep NeuralNetworks (DNNs), safeguarding model parameters, particularly weights, is critical to ensure the integrity, privacy, and intel-lectual property of AI systems. While software-based pseudo-random number generators are widely used, they lack the unpredictability and resilience offered by hardware-based TRNGs. In this work, we propose a novel and robust Encoding-in-Memory TRNG called EIM-TRNG that leverages the inherent physical randomness in DRAM cell behavior, particularly under RowHammer-induced disturbances, for the first time. We demonstrate how the unpredictable bit-flips generated through carefully controlled RowHammer operations can be harnessed as a reliable entropy source. Furthermore, we apply this TRNG framework to secure DNN weight data by encoding via a combination of fixed and unpredictable bit-flips. The encrypted data is later decrypted using a key derived from the probabilistic flip behavior, ensuring both data confidentiality and model authenticity. Our results validate the effectiveness of DRAM-based entropy extraction for robust, low-cost hardware security and offer a promising direction for protecting machine learning models at the hardware level.
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id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_02206
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publishDate 2025
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spellingShingle EIM-TRNG: Obfuscating Deep Neural Network Weights with Encoding-in-Memory True Random Number Generator via RowHammer
Zhou, Ranyang
Almalky, Abeer Matar A.
Aragonda, Gamana
Ahmed, Sabbir
Trønnes-Christensen, Filip Roth
Rakin, Adnan Siraj
Angizi, Shaahin
Cryptography and Security
Artificial Intelligence
True Random Number Generators (TRNGs) play a fundamental role in hardware security, cryptographic systems, and data protection. In the context of Deep NeuralNetworks (DNNs), safeguarding model parameters, particularly weights, is critical to ensure the integrity, privacy, and intel-lectual property of AI systems. While software-based pseudo-random number generators are widely used, they lack the unpredictability and resilience offered by hardware-based TRNGs. In this work, we propose a novel and robust Encoding-in-Memory TRNG called EIM-TRNG that leverages the inherent physical randomness in DRAM cell behavior, particularly under RowHammer-induced disturbances, for the first time. We demonstrate how the unpredictable bit-flips generated through carefully controlled RowHammer operations can be harnessed as a reliable entropy source. Furthermore, we apply this TRNG framework to secure DNN weight data by encoding via a combination of fixed and unpredictable bit-flips. The encrypted data is later decrypted using a key derived from the probabilistic flip behavior, ensuring both data confidentiality and model authenticity. Our results validate the effectiveness of DRAM-based entropy extraction for robust, low-cost hardware security and offer a promising direction for protecting machine learning models at the hardware level.
title EIM-TRNG: Obfuscating Deep Neural Network Weights with Encoding-in-Memory True Random Number Generator via RowHammer
topic Cryptography and Security
Artificial Intelligence
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.02206