Symmetric physically unclonable functions of the arbiter type

Abstract

Objectives. The problem of constructing a new class of physically unclonable functions of the arbiter type (APUF) that combines the advantages of both classical and balanced APUF is solved. The relevance of such a study is associated with the active development of physical cryptography. The following goals are pursued in the work: research and analysis of classical APUF, construction of a new mathematical model of APUF and development of a new basic element of APUF.Methods. The methods of synthesis and analysis of digital devices are used, including those based on programmable logic integrated circuits, the basics of Boolean algebra and circuitry.Results. It has been established that classical APUF uses a standard basic element that performs three functions, namely, the function of generating two random variables Generate, the function of choosing a pair of paths Select and the function of switching paths Switch, which are specified by one bit of the challenge. It is shown that the joint use of these functions, on the one hand, makes it possible to achieve high characteristics of the APUF, and on the other hand, leads to the formation of an asymmetric behavior of the APUF. In order to analyze the main characteristics of APUF and their ideal behavior, a new mathematical model of APUF was considered, similar to the model of random coin toss. To implement APUF functioning according to the proposed model, a new basic element was developed. It is shown that the use of the proposed basic element allows to build symmetrical physically unclonable functions (C_APUF), which differ from the classical APUF in that the Generate, Select and Switch functions of the basic element are performed by their independent components and are specified by different bits of challenge.Conclusion. The proposed approach to the construction of symmetrical physically unclonable functions, based on the implementation of the Generate, Select and Switch functions by various components of the base element, has shown its efficiency and promise. The effect of improving the characteristics of similar C_APUF has been experimentally confirmed, and, first of all, a noticeable improvement in their probabilistic properties expressed in equal probability of responses. It seems promising to further develop the ideas of building C_APUF, experimental study of their characteristics, as well as analysis of resistance to various types of attacks, including using machine learning.