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@ -262,13 +262,6 @@ dissipation by two orders of magnitude.
Based on the current state of the field of hardware security, we deduce three overarching research questions for this
thesis that progress from theory to practical deployment.
% Research questions:
% 1. can hsm w/o proprietary mesh?
% 2. how do meshes look like in practice?
% 3. can we improve monitoring?
% 4. can we solve power transfer issue
% 5. applications
%
\begin{enumerate}
\item What is the state of the art in commercial tamper sensing mesh implementations?
\item What are criteria and approaches for the design of secure tamper sensing meshes?
@ -314,13 +307,46 @@ Distribution (QKD) networks using trustable physically secured relay nodes and i
elaborate how datacenter-scale Secure Multiparty Computation (SMPC) clusters can be created using IHSM enclosures with
commercial server hardware.
\section{Contributions}
Through this thesis, we make contributions advancing the state of hardware securty across several related sub-fields.
Our contributions include:
\begin{enumerate}
\item We conduct the first large-scale survey of tamper sensing measures in the real world, analyzing approximately
30 devices.
\item From our real world observations, we systematize tamper sensing mesh construction techniques and we provide a
list of criteria improving mesh security.
\item We experimentally analyze the impact of Computed Tomography (CT) imaging on mesh security.
\item We propose the IHSM, a new concept for HSM design based on a rotating mesh that increases payload size and
power dissipation capacity while simultaneously allowing for simpler meshes constructed from standard
components.
\item We show experimental results on IHSM mesh performance obtained with a prototype IHSM.
\item We introduce an algorithm for the automatic layout of tamper-sensing meshes and its implementation on top of a
popular, open-source Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tool.
\item We introduce a high-fidelity mesh monitoring approach that uses Time-Domain Reflectometry (TDR).
\item We show a low-cost implementation of our TDR monitoring approach.
\item We evaluate the performance of our TDR monitoring implementation and demonstrate its response to a large
set of attacks. We show that it reliably distinguishes identical copies of the same mesh specimen, suggesting
PUF-like behavior.
\item We introduce a generalized design approach for low-loss planar inductors that out-peform prior approaches in
parasitic capacitance, self-resonant frequency and rotational symmetry.
\item We apply our design approach to the problem of Wireless Power Transfer to the rotating mesh of an IHSM.
\item We conduct an exhaustive experimental evaluation of the rotational symmetry of a large set of planar WPT
inductors created using our approach.
\item We analyze physically secure Quantum Key Distribution relays as an IHSM use case and develop a low-loss fiber
optic passthrough that supports an additional, secondary, independently rotating mesh shielding the shaft
passthrough of the IHSM's primary mesh.
\item We explore IHSMs for co-located high performance Multiparty Computation (MPC) setups. We demonstrate a
fan-driven IHSM mesh concept for high-availability scenarios that removes motors as a single point of failure
while providing sufficient airflow for cooling high-power server components.
\end{enumerate}
We chose to publish all of our research as open source and unencumbered by patents to enable widespread adoption. IHSMs
can be custom built with only basic manufacturing capabilities at small scale and enable the deployment of secure
computation in insecure places even to small organizations such as university research departments, NGOs and small
businesses.
\section{Conclusion}
Looking at the practice of applied hardware security, we observe that despite ample availability of commercial solutions
promising easy hardware security, clearly there is still a lack of solutions that provide the adaptability necessary for
some real use cases at low enough cost. By publishing the tamper-sensing technology we developed during the making of