Non-contact electromagnetic illuminated detection of part anomalies for cyber physical security
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10149169-B1
Publication Date
2018-12-04
Expiration Date
Abstract
An apparatus for testing, inspecting or screening an electronic device for electrical characteristics, modified or unmodified hardware, or firmware modifications including Malware, Trojans, improper versioning, and the like, includes a transmitting antenna positioned at a distance from the electronic device and a electromagnetic energy receiver or sensor for examining a resulting unintentional derived electromagnetic energy from the electronic device. The receiver collects unintentional RF energy components emitted by the device and includes a processor and executable instructions that perform analysis in a response to the acquired electromagnetic energy input. The characteristics of the collected RF energy may be compared with RF energy characteristics of an exemplary device. The analysis determines one of a modified, unmodified or score of certainty of discerned condition of the device.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an apparatus that determines a state and/or a condition of an unpowered electrical or electronic device by using non-contact radio-frequency illumination. A waveform generator generates a waveform, and a first antenna transmits electromagnetic energy containing the waveform toward the electrical or electronic device. Due to excitation with the waveform, electromagnetic artifact(s) are unintentionally re-emitted from the electrical or electronic device and are received by a second antenna together with an RF receiver.
A controller controls the RF receiver and performs developing an electromagnetic emission signature of the electrical or electronic device, where the electromagnetic emission signature contains the electromagnetic artifact(s). The controller then analyzes the developed electromagnetic emission signature and determines the state and/or condition of the electrical or electronic device based on the electromagnetic artifact(s) present in the electromagnetic emission signature.
In one aspect, the apparatus is configured with a chamber for containing the electrical device, and the first and second antennas are disposed within the chamber. The chamber-based antenna arrangement supports determining and/or preventing a cyber physical security threat by developing and analyzing an electromagnetic emission signature from unintentionally re-emitted artifacts received during operation.
Claims Coverage
The document provides two independent claims. Across these independent claims, the core inventive coverage is the generation of a waveform for RF excitation, non-contact antenna-based transmission and reception of unintentionally re-emitted electromagnetic artifact(s), and controller-based development and analysis of an electromagnetic emission signature to determine state/condition from the artifacts present, with a chamber-based cyber physical security variant.
State/condition determination from unintentionally re-emitted electromagnetic artifacts
Developing an electromagnetic emission signature of the electrical or electronic device, the electromagnetic emission signature containing said electromagnetic artifact(s), analyzing said developed electromagnetic emission signature, and determining the state and/or condition of the electrical or electronic device based on said electromagnetic artifact(s) present in said electromagnetic emission signature.
Non-contact RF excitation with antenna transmission and artifact reception
A first antenna that transmits electromagnetic energy containing said waveform in a direction of the electrical or electronic device; and a second antenna that receives electromagnetic artifact(s) that are re-emitted from the electrical or electronic device due to excitation thereof with said waveform, together with an RF receiver.
Waveform generator controlled by a controller
A waveform generator that generates a waveform; and a controller that controls said RF receiver, said controller comprising one or more processors, and non-transitory computer readable medium containing executable or computational instructions that cause said one or more processors to perform the steps of developing and analyzing the electromagnetic emission signature and determining the state and/or condition based on said electromagnetic artifact(s) present.
Cyber physical security threat determination using a chamber and internal antennas
A chamber that is configured to contain an electrical device therewithin; a first antenna disposed within said chamber transmitting electromagnetic energy containing a waveform in a direction of the electrical device during operation; and a second antenna disposed within said chamber receiving artifact(s) unintentionally re-emitted from the electrical device due to excitation thereof with said waveform during operation, with an RF receiver and controller developing and analyzing an electromagnetic emission signature to determine the state and/or condition based on said electromagnetic artifact(s) present.
Both independent claims converge on RF excitation of a device with a waveform, antenna-based reception of unintentionally re-emitted electromagnetic artifact(s), and controller-based developing and analyzing of an electromagnetic emission signature to determine a state and/or condition from the artifacts. The cyber-physical security variant includes a chamber containing the device with first and second antennas disposed within the chamber.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Determining a state and/or a condition of an unpowered electrical or electronic device using unintentionally re-emitted electromagnetic artifacts.
Preventing or determining a cyber physical security threat using an electromagnetic emission signature derived from unintentionally re-emitted artifacts.
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