Detection of malware through voltage measurements of field programmable gate array

摘要

Technologies are generally described to detect malware on field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). In some examples, a power map of an FPGA executing coprocessors may be created by determining voltages associated with distinct areas within the FPGA. The power map may then be compared with expected activity information associated with the executing coprocessors to determine whether any mismatches occur, such as detected power usage where no power usage is expected. Mismatches may indicate the presence of malware executing on the FPGA.

主权项

1. A method to detect a malware of a field programmable gate array (FPGA) through voltage measurements of the FPGA, the method comprising:
initiating a scan during an inactivity of the FPGA for the malware; measuring voltages of distinct areas that include at least one from a set of: an existing sensor within the FPGA or a new sensor positioned adjacent to the FPGA; creating a power map from the voltages; executing the scan by comparing the power map to an expected activity information associated with the FPGA; and evaluating whether a power consumption by a coprocessor of the FPGA exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein the predetermined threshold is retrieved from a virus data store.