"PLATYPUS Reveals New Vulnerabilities Discovered in Intel Processors"
A team of security researchers is conducting a project called PLATYPUS. They are presenting a new method for enabling power-side channel attacks. These attacks exploit power fluctuations to gain access to cryptographic keys and other sensitive data. The researchers have demonstrated a method for executing such attacks without the need for physical access to the target devices. Their method can be used on desktop PCs, laptops, as well as cloud computing servers from Intel and AMD. PLATYPUS attacks show that power side channels pose a threat not only to small, embedded devices but also to processors in laptops and servers. The team combined two techniques in their attacks. The first technique involves using the Running Average Power Limit (RAPL) interface built into Intel and AMD CPUs to monitor devices' energy consumption. The second involves the misuse of Intel's security function Software Guard Extensions (SGX). This article continues to discuss the approaches behind the team's PLATYPUS attacks and the security solutions developed to address those attacks.