side-channel attacks

BearSSL's documentation page on constant-time cryptography explains why cryptographic implementations must avoid execution paths whose timing depends on secret data. Timing variations can leak information about keys or plaintext through side-channel attacks, so operations are written to run in the same time regardless of input. The technical explanation is drawing attention among developers discussing secure implementation practices.

Security firm eShard is closing registration for its October training on physical attacks against post-quantum cryptography. The two-day online course is hands-on, teaching participants to recover cryptographic keys through power analysis and fault injection, including forging Dilithium signatures with a single bit-flip. Organisers describe it as a last chance to join the October session, with sign-ups handled through an online ticketing page.

Researchers report that an artificial intelligence system can recover encryption keys by analyzing the faint fluctuations in a chip's power consumption while it processes data, a technique known as a power side-channel attack. The AI learns to interpret these tiny electrical 'whispers' far faster than traditional methods. The findings raise fresh concerns about the security of embedded devices and could push chipmakers to adopt stronger countermeasures against side-channel leakage.