‘Unified Side-Channel Attack - Model’ (USCA-M): An Extension with Biometrics Side-Channel Type

This paper presents the ‘Unified Side-Channel Attack Model’ (USCA-M) with an additional side-channel type of ‘Biometrics.’ The original published paper ‘Introducing the Unified Side-Channel Attack–Model (USCA-M)’ [1] was presented and published through the International Symposium on Digital Forensics and Security (ISDFS) conference in 2020 [1]. The USCA-M model was initially compiled by research on side-channel attacks (SCAs) from published journal articles and conference papers between 2015 and 2020. The study found that SCAs can be categorized into three main areas: SCA types, SCA methods, and SCA techniques. The USCA-M provides a unified model to categorize present and future SCA vulnerabilities and exploit techniques found. Its future use would provide a reference point for organizations to identify and place a found SCA within a standard or unified categorization. It can also be used to granulate SCA techniques into identifiable components to assist in defending SCAs, such as code pattern recognition and intrusion detection systems (IDS).