Table of contents

  • This session has been presented February 28, 2025 (11:00 - 12:00).

Description

  • Speaker

    Arturo GARAY - STMicroelectronics

Introduction

  • Measuring the thermal component of clock jitter as an entropy source for True Random Number Generators (TRNGs) is compulsory for the security and evaluation of clock-jitter based TRNGs. However, identifying and isolating the local thermal noise component from other noise sources, particularly flicker noise, while performing a precise measurement remains a challenge.

Current Techniques

  • We present an overview of the most effective techniques currently available for measuring the thermal clock jitter component. However, even the best techniques may struggle to avoid the influence of flicker noise on their measurements. Consequently, their results risk representing an overestimation of the thermal jitter component.

Characterizing Clock Jitter

  • We present state-of-the-art methods for distinguishing between flicker noise and thermal noise components of a random signal while introducing their problems when applied to the evaluation of TRNGs.

Conclusion

  • Despite advancements, current clock jitter measurement techniques should be used cautiously.

Practical infos

Next sessions

  • Chamois: Formally verified compilation for optimisation and security

    • June 26, 2026 (10:00 - 11:00)

    • IETR - University of Rennes - Campus de BEAULIEU - Bâtiment 11D, salle numéro 18

    Speaker : David MONNIAUX - CNRS - Verimag

    Embedded programs (including those on smart cards) are often developed in C and then compiled for the embedded processor. Sometimes they are modified by hand to incorporate countermeasures (fault attacks, etc.), but care must be taken to ensure that this does not disrupt normal program execution and that the countermeasure is actually adequate for blocking the attacks.In the process, it is[…]
    • SemSecuElec

    • Fault injection

    • Formal methods

  • Security of Smart Dust: Robust Key Derivation for Single-Chip Systems

    • June 26, 2026 (11:00 - 12:00)

    • IETR - University of Rennes - Campus de BEAULIEU - Bâtiment 11D, salle numéro 18

    Speaker : Sara Faour - Inria

    The Smart Dust vision seeks to enable large networks of millimeter-scale wireless sensor nodes that tightly integrate sensing, computation, communication, and power management into a single-chip device. Establishing a robust hardware root of trust for such devices remains challenging, particularly in single, low-cost chip manufacturing processes that lack embedded writable Non-Volatile Memory (NVM[…]
  • Securing processor's microarchitecture against SCA in a post-quantum cryptography setting

    • October 16, 2026 (10:00 - 11:00)

    • IETR - University of Rennes - Campus de BEAULIEU - Bâtiment 11D, salle numéro 18

    Speaker : Vincent MIGLIORE - LAAS-CNRS

    Hardware microarchitecture is a well-known source of side-channel leakages, providing a notable security reduction of standard cryptographic algorithms (e.g. AES) if not properly addressed by software or hardware. In this talk, we present new design approaches to harden processor's microarchitecture against power-based side-channel attacks, relying on configurable and cascadable building blocks[…]
    • SemSecuElec

    • Side-channel

    • Micro-architectural vulnerabilities

  • Onysis: A secure European SoC FPGA 

    • November 13, 2026 (10:00 - 11:00)

    • IETR - University of Rennes - Campus de BEAULIEU - Bâtiment 11D, salle numéro 18

    Speaker : Adrien GRASSEIN - Nanoxplore

    Developed in collaboration with the DGA, the Onysis project introduces a European SoC FPGA designed to embed advanced hardware security features. This presentation will provide an overview of the Onysis architecture, focusing specifically on its native mechanisms to protect critical systems. We will detail the implementation of its integrated security subsystem, covering the secure boot sequence[…]
    • SemSecuElec

Show previous sessions