Detection of Recycled ICs Using Backscattering Side-Channel Analysis

This article proposes a new, nondestructive method for detecting recycled integrated circuits (ICs) using the backscattering side-channel analysis (BSCA). In particular, this article explains the impact that aging has on the backscattering side-channel signal and validates the findings through simulations. Then, a new detection algorithm based on singular value decomposition for distinguishing unaged and aged ICs from their backscattered measurements is presented. The proposed method is then validated in a series of experiments. The results show that the proposed method is effective in detecting recycled ICs after being aged for a small fraction of the IC's lifetime (roughly 66 days). The experiments also demonstrate the impact that circuit size and complexity have on detection accuracy.

Automated summary

This article proposes a new nondestructive method for detecting recycled integrated circuits (ICs) using backscattering side-channel analysis (BSCA). The article explains the impact of aging on the backscattering side-channel signal and validates the findings through simulations. A new detection algorithm based on singular value decomposition is presented, which can distinguish unaged and aged ICs from their backscattered measurements. The proposed method is then validated through experiments, showing its effectiveness in detecting recycled ICs aged for a small fraction of the IC's lifetime (roughly 66 days). The experiments also demonstrate the impact of circuit size and complexity on detection accuracy.