CY-801 Hardware Security - Jun 2025 Question Paper

Under each question, How to answer lists the points an answer should cover, outlined by CampusPrep from the syllabus. Check the details against your textbook.

1. 7 Marks
   aDiscuss with different types of hardware security best practices.
   How to answer

   • Define hardware security and need for best practices across lifecycle
   • List types: secure design, supply-chain, key management, tamper protection, testing
   • Explain each practice with purpose and example
   • Summarize impact on trust, IP protection and resilience
2. 7 Marks
   bShow that $\varphi(n) \ge 1$ for all $n \ge 1$ in finite field.
   How to answer

   • Define Euler's totient function φ(n) and finite field context
   • Argue φ(n) counts integers 1≤k≤n coprime to n, at least 1 is coprime
   • Show for n≥1, φ(n)≥1 with n=1 and n>1 cases
   • Conclude statement holds
3. 7 Marks
   aExplain about various components of public-key cryptosystem.
   How to answer

   • Define public-key cryptosystem and asymmetric principle
   • List components: public/private keys, encryption/decryption, key generation, trapdoor function
   • Explain role of each component with flow
   • Give example RSA/ECC mapping
4. 7 Marks
   bDiscuss various steps involved in the cryptographic hardware implementation.
   How to answer

   • Define cryptographic hardware implementation goals
   • List steps: algorithm selection, architecture, RTL, synthesis, verification
   • Explain security considerations at each step
   • Summarize testing and deployment
5. 7 Marks
   aWhat is a physical unclonable function? Explain its advantages.
   How to answer

   • Define physical unclonable function (PUF) and physical variation basis
   • Explain challenge-response behavior and unclonability
   • List advantages: key generation, authentication, tamper resistance
   • Give hardware security use case
6. 7 Marks
   bWhat is PUF? Demonstrate taxonomy of PUF with a neat sketch.
   How to answer

   • Define PUF briefly
   • Present taxonomy: weak vs strong, delay, memory, analog PUFs
   • Provide neat labeled sketch of classification tree
   • Give one example per category
7. 7 Marks
   aExplain about the type of acoustic cryptanalysis of side channel attack in detail.
   How to answer

   • Define side-channel attack and acoustic cryptanalysis
   • Explain sound leakage source: keyboards, printers, CPU/coils
   • Describe attack methodology: capture, signal processing, key recovery
   • Discuss limitations and countermeasures
8. 7 Marks
   bDescribe about side-channel attack vulnerabilities use cases with examples.
   How to answer

   • Define side-channel vulnerabilities: timing, power, EM, acoustic
   • Describe use cases: smart cards, IoT, cloud, crypto devices
   • Give concrete example for each with exploit outcome
   • Summarize impact
9. 7 Marks
   aWhat are the best way to protect against side-channel attacks? Explain with an example.
   How to answer

   • Define side-channel attack threat
   • List best protection ways: masking, hiding, shielding, constant-time
   • Explain one method in detail with example
   • State evaluation of effectiveness
10. 7 Marks
    bDiscuss with load balancing and failover integral aspects of fault tolerance of cryptography.
    How to answer

    • Define fault tolerance in cryptography
    • Explain load balancing for crypto redundancy
    • Explain failover and integrity preservation
    • Discuss combined benefit with example
11. 7 Marks
    aElaborate the verification formulation for finite field multipliers with suitable examples.
    How to answer

    • Define finite field multiplier and verification need
    • Present verification formulation: polynomial model, reduction
    • Illustrate with suitable small-field example
    • State correctness condition
12. 7 Marks
    bDefine arithmetic circuit. Explain the important parameters of arithmetic circuit in detail.
    How to answer

    • Define arithmetic circuit in crypto hardware
    • List important parameters: area, delay, power, throughput
    • Explain each parameter and trade-offs in detail
    • Relate to secure efficient design
13. 7 Marks
    aExplain various types of design techniques to prevent IP and IC piracy.
    How to answer

    • Define IP and IC piracy threats
    • List design techniques: watermarking, obfuscation, locking, split manufacturing
    • Explain each technique mechanism
    • Compare effectiveness
14. 7 Marks
    bWhat is genetic programming? Explain about genetic programming based modeling of ring oscillator PUF.
    How to answer

    • Define genetic programming principles
    • Explain ring oscillator PUF structure and modeling need
    • Describe GP-based modeling steps: features, fitness, evolution
    • State prediction accuracy implication
15. 14 Marks
    Write a short note on any two of the following:

    1. a)Support Vector Machines (SVMs)
    2. b)PUF Quality Evaluation
    3. c)Template Attack
    4. d)SVM Modeling of Arbiter PUFs
    How to answer

    • Select any two topics from four options
    • Define each with key principle and formula/diagram
    • Give application in hardware security context
    • Summarize advantages/limitations