Description
Covert timing channels convey information by modulating some aspect of system behavior over time, so that the program receiving the information can observe system behavior and infer protected information.
Modes of Introduction:
– Architecture and Design
Likelihood of Exploit: Medium
Related Weaknesses
Consequences
Confidentiality, Other: Read Application Data, Other
Information exposure.
Potential Mitigations
Phase: Architecture and Design
Description:
Whenever possible, specify implementation strategies that do not introduce time variances in operations.
Phase: Implementation
Description:
Often one can artificially manipulate the time which operations take or — when operations occur — can remove information from the attacker.
Phase: Implementation
Description:
It is reasonable to add artificial or random delays so that the amount of CPU time consumed is independent of the action being taken by the application.