A Generic Framework for Side-Channel Attacks Against LWE-Based Cryptosystems
Hermelink, Julius ; Streit, Silvan ; Mårtensson, Erik LU
and Petri, Richard
(2025)
44th Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, EUROCRYPT 2025
In Lecture Notes in Computer Science
15608.
p.3-32
- Abstract
Lattice-based cryptography is in the process of being standardized. Several proposals to deal with side-channel information using lattice reduction exist. However, it has been shown that algorithms based on Bayesian updating are often more favorable in practice. In this work, we define distribution hints; a type of hint that allows modelling probabilistic information. These hints generalize most previously defined hints and the information obtained in several attacks. We define two solvers for our hints; one is based on belief propagation and the other one uses a greedy approach. We prove that the latter is a computationally less expensive approximation of the former and that previous algorithms used for specific attacks may be seen as... (More)
Lattice-based cryptography is in the process of being standardized. Several proposals to deal with side-channel information using lattice reduction exist. However, it has been shown that algorithms based on Bayesian updating are often more favorable in practice. In this work, we define distribution hints; a type of hint that allows modelling probabilistic information. These hints generalize most previously defined hints and the information obtained in several attacks. We define two solvers for our hints; one is based on belief propagation and the other one uses a greedy approach. We prove that the latter is a computationally less expensive approximation of the former and that previous algorithms used for specific attacks may be seen as special cases of our solvers. Thereby, we provide a systematization of previously obtained information and used algorithms in real-world side-channel attacks. In contrast to lattice-based approaches, our framework is not limited to value leakage. For example, it can deal with noisy Hamming weight leakage or partially incorrect information. Moreover, it improves upon the recovery of the secret key from approximate hints in the form they arise in real-world attacks. Our framework has several practical applications: We exemplarily show that a recent attack can be improved; we reduce the number of traces and corresponding ciphertexts and increase the noise resistance. Further, we explain how distribution hints could be applied in the context of previous attacks and outline a potential new attack.
(Less)
- author
- Hermelink, Julius
; Streit, Silvan
; Mårtensson, Erik
LU
and Petri, Richard
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Belief Propagation, Kyber, Lattice Reduction, Lattice-based cryptography, ML-KEM, Side-Channel Attacks
- host publication
- Advances in Cryptology – EUROCRYPT 2025 - 44th Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, 2025, Proceedings
- series title
- Lecture Notes in Computer Science
- editor
- Fehr, Serge and Fouque, Pierre-Alain
- volume
- 15608
- pages
- 30 pages
- publisher
- Springer Science and Business Media B.V.
- conference name
- 44th Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, EUROCRYPT 2025
- conference location
- Madrid, Spain
- conference dates
- 2025-05-04 - 2025-05-08
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105004789474
- ISSN
- 1611-3349
- 0302-9743
- ISBN
- 9783031911002
- DOI
- 10.1007/978-3-031-91101-9_1
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 6417b785-bc11-438c-b8c3-5cbeeab477c2
- date added to LUP
- 2025-09-16 14:05:11
- date last changed
- 2025-09-30 15:46:33
@inproceedings{6417b785-bc11-438c-b8c3-5cbeeab477c2,
abstract = {{<p>Lattice-based cryptography is in the process of being standardized. Several proposals to deal with side-channel information using lattice reduction exist. However, it has been shown that algorithms based on Bayesian updating are often more favorable in practice. In this work, we define distribution hints; a type of hint that allows modelling probabilistic information. These hints generalize most previously defined hints and the information obtained in several attacks. We define two solvers for our hints; one is based on belief propagation and the other one uses a greedy approach. We prove that the latter is a computationally less expensive approximation of the former and that previous algorithms used for specific attacks may be seen as special cases of our solvers. Thereby, we provide a systematization of previously obtained information and used algorithms in real-world side-channel attacks. In contrast to lattice-based approaches, our framework is not limited to value leakage. For example, it can deal with noisy Hamming weight leakage or partially incorrect information. Moreover, it improves upon the recovery of the secret key from approximate hints in the form they arise in real-world attacks. Our framework has several practical applications: We exemplarily show that a recent attack can be improved; we reduce the number of traces and corresponding ciphertexts and increase the noise resistance. Further, we explain how distribution hints could be applied in the context of previous attacks and outline a potential new attack.</p>}},
author = {{Hermelink, Julius and Streit, Silvan and Mårtensson, Erik and Petri, Richard}},
booktitle = {{Advances in Cryptology – EUROCRYPT 2025 - 44th Annual International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques, 2025, Proceedings}},
editor = {{Fehr, Serge and Fouque, Pierre-Alain}},
isbn = {{9783031911002}},
issn = {{1611-3349}},
keywords = {{Belief Propagation; Kyber; Lattice Reduction; Lattice-based cryptography; ML-KEM; Side-Channel Attacks}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{3--32}},
publisher = {{Springer Science and Business Media B.V.}},
series = {{Lecture Notes in Computer Science}},
title = {{A Generic Framework for Side-Channel Attacks Against LWE-Based Cryptosystems}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-91101-9_1}},
doi = {{10.1007/978-3-031-91101-9_1}},
volume = {{15608}},
year = {{2025}},
}