July 14, 2010
Editor's Note: When we in the industry think about military embedded systems power, we typically think about Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) requirements. But a new - and perilous - practice is arising pertaining to mil embedded power: Simple Power Analysis (SPA) or Differential Power Analysis (DPA) attacks, which proffer sensitive military algorithms to hackers. And these noninvasive attacks are so passive that they can't be detected by the device until it's too late. Editor Sharon Schnakenburg-Hess's recent interview with Cryptography Research Inc.'s Dr. Pankaj Rohatgi reveals more about this security threat - and how to thwart it. Edited excerpts follow.