Re: Black box attacks (was Re: Crypto-Dongel)

On Wed, 9 Apr 1997, Jeremiah A Blatz wrote:
> Dave Emery <die@pig.die.com> writes:
> >         I have heard about thermite devices being used for this in 
> > the sort of applications that might warrent it.   Granted that this
> > is a royal fire hazard unless very carefully engineered, but at least
> > it is not an explosive per se....  
> 
> Thermite is probably overkill unless you're trying to dust something
> big like a hard drive. Just a bit of magnesium (which is often used as
> primer for thermite) should do the trick on a chip. I wonder if it's
> really essential to be so drastic, though? Would just getting the chip
> really hot be enough to wipe it? What about exposing it to a big arc?
> One might imagine a PCMCIA with a voltage doubling diode ladder and a
> small capacitor... would this be sufficient?

If you're trying to destroy a standard IC, why don't you just hook up the
power and ground pins to a 120V AC outlet?  No special equipment or
substances required, just a couple of wires.  Done it myself, and some
chips make a really neat popping sound as the top blows off :-)

Warning for the electronically challenged: don't use this method if you 
care about the rest of the board. 

Cynthia
===============================================================
		   Cynthia H. Brown, P.Eng.
E-mail:     cynthb@iosphere.net  | PGP Key:  See Home Page
Home Page:  http://www.iosphere.net/~cynthb/
Junk mail will be ignored in the order in which it is received.

        Klein bottle for rent; enquire within.

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"Cynthia H. Brown" <cynthb@sonetis.com> writes:
> If you're trying to destroy a standard IC, why don't you just hook up the
> power and ground pins to a 120V AC outlet?  No special equipment or
> substances required, just a couple of wires.  Done it myself, and some
> chips make a really neat popping sound as the top blows off :-)

"Excuse me, Mr. Jack-booted Long Arm of The Law, do you mind putting
your gun away whilst I just plug this evid^H^H^H^HPC Card into the
wall? Thanks."

Jer

"standing on top of the world/ never knew how you never could/ never knew
 why you never could live/ innocent life that everyone did" -Wormhole

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On Wed, 9 Apr 1997, Jeremiah A Blatz wrote:

> "Cynthia H. Brown" <cynthb@sonetis.com> writes:
> > If you're trying to destroy a standard IC, why don't you just hook up the
> > power and ground pins to a 120V AC outlet?  No special equipment or
> > substances required, just a couple of wires.  Done it myself, and some
> > chips make a really neat popping sound as the top blows off :-)
> 
> "Excuse me, Mr. Jack-booted Long Arm of The Law, do you mind putting
> your gun away whilst I just plug this evid^H^H^H^HPC Card into the
> wall? Thanks."

If Mr. Jack-Boots And Friends are standing behind you, it's too late
anyways.  You certainly won't have time to dig out the thermite /
magnesium, place it on the appropriate chip, and ignite it.  If you're
going to the trouble of rigging up an emergency destructo-circuit, you
might as well make sure you have something that fries the chip / PCMCIA
card completely. 

Cynthia
===============================================================
		   Cynthia H. Brown, P.Eng.
E-mail:     cynthb@iosphere.net  | PGP Key:  See Home Page
Home Page:  http://www.iosphere.net/~cynthb/
Junk mail will be ignored in the order in which it is received.

        Klein bottle for rent; enquire within.