Advantages of unsupervised learning analysis methods in single-trace SCA attacks

Machine learning techniques are commonly employed in the context of Side Channel Analysis attacks. The clustering algorithms can be successfully used as classifiers in single execution attacks against implementations of Elliptic Curve point multiplication known as kP operation. They can distinguish between the processing of ‘ones’ and ‘zeros’ during secret scalar processing in the binary kP algorithm. The successful SCA performed by designers can aid in recognizing the leakage sources in cryptographic designs and lead to improvement of the cryptographic implementations. In this work we investigate the influence of the hamming weight of scalar k on the success rate of the single-trace attack. We used the clustering method K-means and the statistical method the comparison to the mean. We analysed simulated power traces and power traces of an FPGA implementation to conclude that K-means, unlike the comparison to the mean, was able to deal with extracting the scalar even when it is consisted of less than 30% of ‘ones’ and more than 70% of ‘ones’.