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Invasive attack

As explained in Real-World Cryptography

An invasive attack physically opens a chip and probes or modifies its internal circuitry to reveal or alter secrets.

An invasive attack opens a chip and probes or modifies circuitry in the silicon itself to alter its function or reveal secrets. section 13.2.2

Unlike non-invasive or semi-invasive attacks, it directly reaches internal hardware. The approach can damage the device, leave evidence, and render it unusable. section 13.2.2

Physical obstacles complicate invasive attacks:

  • Tightly packaged chips make depackaging and internal probing difficult. section 13.2.2
  • Layered materials help prevent depackaging and physical observation. section 13.2.2
  • Specialized hardware can make known attacks less accurate. section 13.2.2

How Real-World Cryptography covers it

How deep it goes
Defines the attack and contrasts it with non-invasive and semi-invasive methods, but does not detail laboratory procedures.
Examples
Uses probing or modifying silicon circuitry as the concrete example, alongside chip depackaging and physical observation.
What it assumes
Assumes only a basic distinction between smart-card hardware and attacks that target its execution environment or memory.
What you can do after
Evaluate how physical access can expose or alter hardware secrets and why tamper-resistant packaging raises attack difficulty.
How it connects
Connects invasive attacks with smart cards, secure elements, non-invasive attacks, and semi-invasive attacks.
Cover of Real-World Cryptography
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Related concepts

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Real-World Cryptography. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.