One of the most powerful techniques to assess the security of a product is the class of side channel attacks. Such attacks aim to retrieve secret information by using information that a product leaks in some indirect ways, such as power consumption, electromagnetic emission, etc. After its advent in 1990’s side channel analysis has become one of the critical threats to the security of modern security products such as smart cards, electronic passports, payment terminals, etc. Side Channel Evaluators will assess these products in terms of their security against state-of-the-art side channel attacks with hands-on experiments and analysis.

The Side Channel Evaluator starts their tests by building an understanding of the product: the target operation, vulnerability of the product, etc. Typically, this information is delivered by code or design reviewers in the form of a test plan. Understanding of crypto algorithms such as DES, AES, RSA, ECC etc., architecture of a microcontroller/smart card, or payment protocols will be helpful to understand the product.

Once the sample is prepared, the Side Channel Evaluators measures power consumption or electromagnetic emission of the product using a dedicated measurement set-up.

The Side channel evaluator analyses the measured signals first by pre-processing the traces with different kinds of signal processing technics such as noise reduction, trace alignment, frequency domain transformation, etc., and then by applying mathematical methods such as statistical mean, correlation, multivariate-Gaussian model, mutual information, hypothesis testing, Maximum-Likelihood testing etc.

Recent advances in the Deep Learning field have also led us to use this in Side Channel Attacks. Therefore, artificial neural networks (ANN) are now also part of side channel analysis. When only partial information of the secret key is known from the tests, the Side Channel Evaluators needs to estimate the security using probability and entropy theory. A good understanding of the above mentioned mathematics or ANN will be helpful.

Besides the above mentioned activities, Side Channel Evaluators are involved in development of (hardware or software) tools and R&D of new attacks.

• We are looking for people with a BSc, MSc or PhD. degree in a technical field (Information Security, Computer Science, Electronics, Mathematics, etc.) with the potential ability to understand and perform the above mentioned daily activities of Side Channel Evaluators.
• A good understanding of mathematics is important, as is possessing an analytic mind.
• Experience of development of electronic circuits and knowledge of crypto algorithms are helpful but not mandatory. Brightsight provides a very good training program from the basics to the expert level. Therefore, potential and attitude to analyse the products are most important.
• This job also requires that you communicate knowledge convincingly, both orally and in writing, to internal and external entities.
• Working with colleagues from different backgrounds and knowledge is also important.