Security & Monitoring
How analogue anti-tamper solutions can help avert security attacks
By Chris Morrison, VP product marketing, Agile Analog S
ecurity attacks are increasing in complexity as new techniques are being developed by hackers to exploit vulnerabilities in our electronic devices and systems. In particular, there has been a rise in physical attacks, such as clock and voltage glitching, side-channel attacks and tampering incidents. Digital anti-tamper solutions have been available for some time, but these actually have limitations in terms of the types of attacks they can detect. There may also be issues with accuracy and increased false positives when there are variations in process, voltage or temperature. It is now widely acknowledged that a different complementary approach might be better, where analogue anti-tamper solutions are implemented alongside digital solutions. Clock attack monitors, voltage glitch detectors, temperature sensors, electromagnetic and laser fault injection sensors have been proven to significantly enhance the protection of SoCs (System-on-Chips).
Countering clock and voltage glitching attacks
A clock attack monitor tracks the frequency and timing of the clock signal, as clock attacks take place if the clock signal that controls the timing of operations in a microprocessor is manipulated. A hacker can make a device vulnerable to attack by physically altering the incoming clock’s frequency or timing to cause glitches. Unexpected delays, frequency changes or something unusual in the clock signals could mean that a clock glitching attack is imminent. In this case, a clock attack monitor would act quickly, introducing countermeasures such as raising an alert, implementing safe mode or starting a reset. A voltage glitch detector continually monitors the power supply of a device as voltage glitching attacks occur when a hacker tampers with the incoming power supply. An attacker can create voltage drops or spikes which lead to errors that interfere with encryption algorithms and security measures, making a device vulnerable to side-channel attacks. With a voltage glitch detector when
18 March 2026
there is an abrupt change in voltage this will trigger an alarm and the system may be shut down to prevent damage and data loss.
Tackling temperature related attacks
Temperature sensors are important as sudden temperature variations, either heating or cooling, could be an indication of tampering. With temperature related attacks a hacker can generate timing and supply errors without having physical access to the clock signal or power supply. These attacks happen when a device is quickly heated, cooled or taken out of its normal operating state, causing faults that mean the device’s system could be manipulated.
Preventing electromagnetic and laser fault injection attacks Electromagnetic fault injection (EMFI) is another attack method where hackers do not require electrical contact or physical connection to the chip’s pins as the attacker tampers with a device using an electromagnetic pulse. If an electromagnetic (EM) sensor detects even small changes in
Components in Electronics
external magnetic fields an alert is raised so that the attack can be stopped. EM sensors have a fast response time, as EM signals transmit at or near the speed of light, so these are suitable for real-time monitoring and high- speed systems.
A laser fault injection attack is when a laser beam is used by a hacker to induce errors in a chip’s operation, to bypass security and corrupt data. A laser fault injection sensor is placed on a chip to monitor for physical changes (light, current, heat) or timing disruptions caused by the laser. This acts as a defensive layer against these attacks.
New developments in the anti- tamper space
Techniques used in security attacks are becoming more sophisticated. Therefore, companies across the globe will have to have a much better anti-tamper strategy and more advanced anti-tamper solutions. Fortunately, there have been new product developments in the anti-tamper security space that could help with this.
Agile Analog has introduced the agileSecure portfolio of customizable and
process agnostic analogue anti-tamper IP. This product range is designed to protect SoCs and to deliver robust hardware-level security for devices operating in sensitive applications on advanced process nodes. The tamper detection IP includes anti-tamper sensor solutions such as a clock attack monitor, voltage glitch detector, electromagnetic sensor and temperature sensor, offering enhanced protection over existing digital solutions for secure enclaves and Root of Trust (RoT) systems. A laser fault injection sensor is on the company’s product roadmap for later in 2026. The tamper prevention IP includes an internally biased LDO, bandgap reference and oscillator, as well as Power-on-reset and Power-ok monitors to further secure crucial circuitry from external attack.
It is clear that digital and analogue anti- tamper solutions should be implemented together to provide the far superior levels of tamper detection and tamper prevention that organizations will need to protect the next generation of devices and systems from increasingly complex security attacks.
www.agileanalog.com.
www.cieonline.co.uk
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