Award Data

Many hardware trojans depend on (a) the ability of an attacker to have an accurate model of the target system and of key software used on that system and (b) identification of one or more deterministic trigger conditions with low observability (i.e., conditions that evade detection by traditional scan- or ATPG-based testing methodologies but that can be exercised on demand via external stimuli). ...

Security concerns are driving the research and development of innovative techniques designed to detect, prevent, and respond to sophisticated threats in COTS hardware and firmware components. Because of the size and breadth of the attack surface, Clear Hat proposes to limit the scope of their research for this Phase I effort to malicious firmware alterations on disk based storage devices. To da ...

The Pikewerks InTrust system is a two-stage system designed to detect malicious implants or alterations in COTS hardware and firmware. It is meant to be used during both the integration/pre-deployment and the deployment stages to first establish trust and then maintain that trust during fielding. The pre-deployment test platform will make use of invasive testing and analysis techniques to ensure n ...

The need for clean, reliable electrical power is increasing in both the military and commercial sectors, which places high priority on technologies that provide flexibility and increased energy independence. The potential for reduced maintenance, high reliability, and increased durability is currently being demonstrated in actual turbogenerator applications, making the possibility of using microt ...

MSI proposes to develop a reliable control system that will electrically combine multiple 10 to 50kW turbo-alternators to create a stable 100 to 500kW micro-grid. The military needs to easily and reliably set up compact micro-grids for a variety of power-supply applications. The emergence of commercially available turbo-alternator products in the 10-50 kW range has created an opportunity to fill ...

The intent of this project is to explore the feasibility of using a parallel connection strategy similar to a utility solution for the operation of multiple high speed turbo-generators in the 10 to 50 kW range. It is desired to connect the high frequency, 3-phase outputs of multiple turbo-generators in parallel to produce a single high frequency bus of significantly higher power, up to 500 kW. Th ...

We propose to implement a novel countermeasure against the exploitation of integrated circuit hardware. The proposed countermeasure is applicable to both FPGAs and ASICs, increases design obfuscation and promises to block embedded hardware exploits. It also is fully compatible with virtually any other hardware exploit countermeasure and reduces forensic costs when exploits are suspected. The propo ...

Malicious alterations of COTS circuits poses major concern in terms of their reliable and trusted field operation. It is extremely difficult to discover such alterations, also referred to as “hardware Trojans” using conventional structural or functional testing strategies. In this proposal, we propose a novel non-invasive, multiple parameter side-channel analysis based Trojan detection appro ...

The Air Force is seeking new technology that will provide the means to accurately measure and monitor turbine inlet gas temperature in gas turbine engines, particularly in advanced engines operating at very high temperatures (>3,100 degree F). In Phase I of this program, Advanced Fuel Research, Inc. demonstrated that turbine inlet gas temperature can be determined from non-intrusive measurements ...

AVID has identified and demonstrated significant advantages of smart material aerodynamic actuators for micro air vehicles. The solid-state nature of this flight control actuation scheme allows for scalability to miniature sizes, as well as increases in overall reliability. The general approach to morphing flight control surfaces has been proven through the Phase I results. Aerodynamic predictions ...