Integrated circuit device with protection against malicious attacks
An integrated circuit device includes a semiconductor substrate layer and at least one active layer including electronic components and supported by the semiconductor substrate layer. The semiconductor substrate layer and the at least one active layer are sandwiched between two protective layers acting as physical obstacles to prevent the passage of radiations. In addition, the two protective layers are electrically connected to a detection circuit that can monitor an electrical information of the protective layers and detect a physical attack of at least one of the two protective layers, based on the monitored electrical information.
1 . An integrated circuit device comprising:
a semiconductor substrate layer; and
at least one active layer including electronic components and supported by said semiconductor substrate layer, wherein:
the semiconductor substrate layer and the at least one active layer are sandwiched between two protective layers acting as physical obstacles to prevent passage of radiations and electrically connected to a detection circuit, and
the detection circuit is configured to monitor electrical information of the two protective layers and detect a physical attack of at least one of the two protective layers, based on the monitored electrical information, and the detection circuit is configured to measure a relative value between respective electrical values of the two protective layers, and detect a deviation of the measured relative value from a reference value to detect the physical attack.
2 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit is integrated within the at least one active layer.
3 . The device according to claim 1 , further comprising an electronic protection circuit configured to generate a signal for executing an electronic protection countermeasure, when the physical attack is detected by the detection circuit.
4 . The device according to claim 3 , wherein the electronic protection circuit is integrated within the at least one active layer.
5 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the two protective layers are configured to prevent the passage of radiations of a group including laser radiations, electromagnetic emanations from the at least one active layer, and electromagnetic radiations produced by an external source.
6 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the two protective layers are made of metal, a metal alloy, or a semi-conductor material.
7 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two protective layers is a full plate.
8 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two protective layers is made of a bent continuous wire forming parallel lines.
9 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the two protective layers comprises a mosaic of elementary plates electrically connected to the detection circuit.
10 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit is configured to measure a capacitance between the two protective layers, as said electrical information of the two protective layers.
11 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit is configured to measure a difference of electrical resistances between the two protective layers, as said electrical information of the two protective layers.
12 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit is configured to detect the deviation of the measured relative value from the reference value, out of a predefined tolerance range.
13 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein the two protective layers are joined to the semiconductor substrate layer and the at least one active layer, through two respective joining layers functioning as electrical insulators.
14 . A product comprising:
an integrated circuit device that includes:
a semiconductor substrate layer, and
at least one active layer including electronic components and supported by the semiconductor substrate layer, wherein:
the semiconductor substrate layer and the at least one active layer are sandwiched between two protective layers acting as physical obstacles to prevent passage of radiations and electrically connected to a detection circuit, and
the detection circuit is configured to monitor electrical information of the two protective layers and detect a physical attack of at least one of the two protective layers, based on the monitored electrical information, and the detection circuit is configured to measure a relative value between respective electrical values of the two protective layers, and detect a deviation of the measured relative value from a reference value to detect the physical attack.
15 . An integrated circuit device comprising:
a semiconductor substrate layer, wherein:
the semiconductor substrate layer and at least one active layer are sandwiched between two protective layers acting as physical obstacles to prevent passage of radiations and electrically connected to a detection circuit, and
the detection circuit is configured to monitor electrical information of the two protective layers and detect a physical attack of at least one of the two protective layers, based on the monitored electrical information, and the detection circuit is configured to measure a relative value between respective electrical values of the two protective layers, and detect a deviation of the measured relative value from a reference value to detect the physical attack.
16 . The device according to claim 2 , further comprising an electronic protection circuit configured to generate a signal for executing an electronic protection countermeasure, when the physical attack is detected by the detection circuit.
17 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein the two protective layers are configured to prevent the passage of radiations of a group including laser radiations, electromagnetic emanations from the at least one active layer, and electromagnetic radiations produced by an external source.
18 . The device according to claim 3 , wherein the two protective layers are configured to prevent the passage of radiations of a group including laser radiations, electromagnetic emanations from the at least one active layer, and electromagnetic radiations produced by an external source.
19 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein the two protective layers are made of metal, a metal alloy, or a semi-conductor material.
20 . The device according to claim 15 , wherein the relative value corresponds to a capacitance between the two protective layers or corresponds to a difference of electrical resistances between the two protective layers.