kõrvalsignaalid

Kõrvalsignaalid, often translated as side channels, refer to unintended information leaks from a computing system during its operation. These leaks are not part of the intended output of a computation but can reveal sensitive data. Common examples of side channels include timing information, power consumption, electromagnetic emissions, and acoustic noise.

The exploitation of side channels is a significant concern in cryptography and security. For instance, by precisely measuring the time it takes for a cryptographic algorithm to perform computations, an attacker might infer secret keys. Similarly, analyzing the power consumed by a device can reveal patterns related to the operations being performed, potentially exposing sensitive data.

Several techniques exist to mitigate side-channel attacks. These include constant-time programming, which aims to make operations take a consistent amount of time regardless of the input data. Other methods involve introducing noise to mask the side-channel leakage, such as randomizing power consumption or processing times. Hardware-level countermeasures, like shielding against electromagnetic emissions or using specialized cryptographic hardware designed to resist side-channel analysis, are also employed. The study and defense against side-channel attacks are an active area of research in computer security.