1000 Digits of RSA Algorithm Hacked Through Voltage Regulations

World’s most popular most commonly used digital security technique RSA algorithm used to protect both media copyright and Internet communications has a major weakness, University of Michigan computer scientists have discovered.

RSA authentication is a popular encryption method used in media players, laptop computers, smartphones, servers and other devices. Retailers and banks also depend on it to ensure the safety of their customers’ information online.You can read about the RSA on Wikipedia.

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The scientists found they could foil the security system by varying the voltage supply to the holder of the “private key,” which would be the consumer’s device in the case of copy protection and the retailer or bank in the case of Internet communication. It is highly unlikely that a hacker could use this approach on a large institution, the researchers say. These findings would be more likely to concern media companies and mobile device manufacturers, as well as those who use them.-said umich.edu.

We cannot broke an RSS algorithm’s private key.We can find it out by guess only.To broke a private key of a 1000 digit RSA algorithm, it takes a time longer than the age of the Universe.But using their voltage tweaking scheme the U-M researchers were able to extract the private key in about 100 hours.

They carefully manipulated the voltage with an inexpensive device built for this purpose. Varying the electric current essentially stresses out the computer and causes it to make small mistakes in its communications with other clients. These faults reveal small pieces of the private key. Once the researchers caused enough faults, they were able to reconstruct the key offline.

This type of attack doesn’t damage the device, so no tamper evidence is left.

The solution for this attack is not found yet.But it is very interesting to read that a computer program hacked through an electrical effect.So, what you think of it.Please share your feelings here.

You can get the more information on this hack at the umich.edu.