DVFS Frequently Leaks Secrets: Hertzbleed Attacks Beyond SIKE, Cryptography, and CPU-Only Data

Hertzbleed Beyond SIKE

Researchers show DVFS-based Hertzbleed side channels extend past the broken SIKE protocol to patched cryptographic implementations and non-CPU components when power differences affect CPU frequency.

Amplification Requirement

Single-instruction Hamming-weight leaks are too small at millisecond DVFS granularity; attackers need gadgets that cumulatively change power draw, as in the original SIKE analysis.

Revived Crypto Targets

BearSSL ECDSA and classic McEliece implementations thought mitigated against prior side channels leak leading-zero nonce bits through timing when combined with existing lattice attacks.

GPU Cross-Component Leaks

Pixel-stealing SVG filter attacks thought fixed by constant-time GPU rendering can return because GPU power draw influences CPU frequency, letting JavaScript infer cross-origin iframe pixel colors.