X-Ray Fault Injection Localization with a Shield on Powered and Unpowered Devices

This study explores the use of X-ray fault injection localization techniques to evaluate the security of integrated circuits, particularly Flash memory in microcontrollers. Utilising a tungsten shield with an injection aperture, the experiments demonstrated precise targeting of the fault injection. The method was applied to both powered and unpowered devices, successfully discharging floating gate transistors in Flash memory, resulting in localised faults. The findings emphasise the effectiveness of the shield in localization X-ray exposure and highlight the vulnerabilities of critical integrated circuits to such attacks. The results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of injecting single bit faults into the Flash memory with X-ray of both powered and unpowered chips. This research contributes to the advancement of our understanding of X-ray fault injection mechanisms and underscores the importance of implementing robust security measures to counteract the emergence of novel threats.