Microfluidic Trojan Design in Flow-based Biochips

Mohammed Shayan, Sukanta Bhattacharjee, Yong Ak Song, Krishnendu Chakrabarty, Ramesk Karri

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Microfluidic technologies find application in various safety-critical fields such as medical diagnostics, drug research, and cell analysis. Recent work has focused on security threats to microfluidic-based cyberphysical systems and defenses. So far the threat analysis has been limited to the cases of tampering with control software/hardware, which is common to most cyberphysical control systems in general; in a sense, such an approach is not exclusive to microfluidics. In this paper, we present a stealthy attack paradigm that uses characteristics exclusive to the microfluidic devices - a microfluidic trojan. The proposed trojan payload is a valve whose height has been perturbed to vary its pressure response. This trojan can be triggered in multiple ways based on time or specific operations. These triggers can occur naturally in a bioassay or added into the controlling software. We showcase the trojan application in carrying out practical attacks -contamination, parameter-tampering and denial-of-service - on a real-life bioassay implementation. Further, we present guidelines to launch stealthy attacks and to counter them.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 2020 Design, Automation and Test in Europe Conference and Exhibition, DATE 2020
EditorsGiorgio Di Natale, Cristiana Bolchini, Elena-Ioana Vatajelu
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages1037-1042
Number of pages6
ISBN (Electronic)9783981926347
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2020
Event2020 Design, Automation and Test in Europe Conference and Exhibition, DATE 2020 - Grenoble, France
Duration: Mar 9 2020Mar 13 2020

Publication series

NameProceedings of the 2020 Design, Automation and Test in Europe Conference and Exhibition, DATE 2020

Conference

Conference2020 Design, Automation and Test in Europe Conference and Exhibition, DATE 2020
Country/TerritoryFrance
CityGrenoble
Period3/9/203/13/20

Keywords

  • fluid flow
  • microfluidic
  • security
  • trojans
  • valves

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Hardware and Architecture
  • Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality
  • Modeling and Simulation
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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