Rogue Hardware Detection Through Power Monitoring

摘要

Techniques are provided for monitoring power consumption for individual systems or devices as a way to detect illicit or rogue hardware, e.g., addition of an unauthorized integrated circuit (IC), which may have been added to an existing system. Techniques include monitoring a power on sequence of a system, the power on sequence including one or more distinct stages, determining for each stage of the one or more distinct stages of the power on sequence, whether an observed power load of any distinct stage has deviated from an expected power load according to a power profile for the system, and when the observed power load of a given distinct stage has deviated from the expected power load, performing an action indicating that a deviation from the expected power load has occurred. The power profile specifies expected power characteristics of the system for each stage of a power on sequence.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
monitoring a power on sequence of a system, the power on sequence comprising one or more distinct stages; determining for each stage of the one or more distinct stages of the power on sequence, whether an observed power load of any distinct stage has deviated from an expected power load according to a composite power profile for the system, wherein the composite power profile specifies expected power characteristics of the system for each stage of the power on sequence; and when the observed power load of a given distinct stage has deviated from the expected power load for that stage, performing an action indicating that a deviation from the expected power load has occurred.