Struct HardwareSecurityConfig 

pub struct HardwareSecurityConfig {
    pub cache_protection: bool,
    pub power_protection: bool,
    pub em_protection: bool,
    pub dummy_operations: usize,
}

Configuration for hardware-level side-channel countermeasures.

This struct allows fine-grained control over which hardware security countermeasures are applied. Different attack vectors may require different combinations of protections, and this configuration enables performance tuning by selectively enabling countermeasures.

Fields

• cache_protection: Protects against cache timing attacks via memory access normalization
• power_protection: Protects against power analysis via consumption balancing
• em_protection: Protects against electromagnetic analysis via signal balancing
• dummy_operations: Number of additional operations for timing/power balancing

Security vs Performance Trade-offs

• Cache Protection: Moderate performance impact, essential for shared systems
• Power Protection: Low performance impact, critical for embedded systems
• EM Protection: Higher performance impact, mainly for high-security environments

Default Configuration

The default configuration enables cache and power protection but disables EM protection due to its higher performance cost. EM protection can be enabled when operating in high-threat environments.

Usage

use clock_curve_math::ct::hardware::HardwareSecurityConfig;

let config = HardwareSecurityConfig {
    cache_protection: true,
    power_protection: true,
    em_protection: false, // Too expensive for most applications
    dummy_operations: 5,  // Minimal balancing operations
};

Fields

cache_protection: bool

Enable cache timing countermeasures.

When enabled, memory access patterns are normalized and cache lines are flushed before/after operations to prevent cache timing attacks.

power_protection: bool

Enable power analysis countermeasures.

When enabled, dummy operations are performed to balance power consumption and prevent power analysis attacks that analyze current draw patterns.

em_protection: bool

Enable electromagnetic countermeasures.

When enabled, operations are balanced to prevent electromagnetic analysis attacks that analyze electromagnetic emissions from the processor.

dummy_operations: usize

Number of dummy operations for balancing.

Controls how many additional dummy operations are performed for timing and power balancing. Higher values provide better protection but impact performance. Typical values range from 5-20 depending on security needs.

Trait Implementations

impl Clone for HardwareSecurityConfig

fn clone(&self) -> HardwareSecurityConfig

Returns a duplicate of the value.

fn clone_from(&mut self, source: &Self)

Performs copy-assignment from source.

impl Debug for HardwareSecurityConfig

fn fmt(&self, f: &mut Formatter<'_>) -> Result

Formats the value using the given formatter.

impl Default for HardwareSecurityConfig

fn default() -> Self

Creates a default hardware security configuration.

The default configuration provides a good balance between security and performance for most cryptographic applications. It enables the most critical countermeasures while keeping performance impact reasonable.

Default Settings

• cache_protection: true - Essential for shared computing environments
• power_protection: true - Important for embedded and IoT devices
• em_protection: false - Disabled due to performance cost; enable for high-security
• dummy_operations: 10 - Moderate balancing operations

Usage

use clock_curve_math::ct::hardware::HardwareSecurityConfig;

// Use default configuration (recommended for most applications)
let config = HardwareSecurityConfig::default();

// Or customize specific settings
let custom_config = HardwareSecurityConfig {
    em_protection: true, // Enable for high-security environments
    ..HardwareSecurityConfig::default()
};