CentralNotice Side channel attack From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation , search An attempt to decode RSA key bits using power analysis . The left peak represents the CPU power variations during the step of the algorithm without multiplication, the right (broader) peak - step with multiplication, allowing to read bits 0, 1. In cryptography , a side channel attack is any attack based on information gained from the physical implementation of a cryptosystem , rather than brute force or theoretical weaknesses in the algorithms (compare cryptanalysis ). For example, timing information, power consumption, electromagnetic leaks or even sound can provide an extra source of information which can be exploited to break the system. Some side-channel attacks require technical knowledge of the internal operation of the system on which the cryptography is impl...