Side-Channel and Fault Attacks on ML-KEM: A Survey of Vulnerabilities and Countermeasures

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) had initiated a Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) Standardization program to evaluate and standardize public-key cryptographic algorithms capable of withstanding quantum computer-based attacks. As part of this effort, a lattice-based post-quantum scheme for Public-key Encryption (PKE), known as the Module-Lattice-Based Key-Encapsulation Mechanism (ML-KEM) was finalized. The corresponding standard, Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 203, offers a state-of-the-art cryptographic framework to safeguard data against emerging quantum computing threats. Even though these algorithms are mathematically secure, it is essential to mitigate non-invasive hardware-based attacks to ensure compliance with higher security levels outlined in FIPS 140-3. This paper marks the initial phase of research in this area by presenting a comprehensive survey of hardware-based attacks, specifically side-channel and fault attacks, targeting the modules in ML-KEM. It highlights the current vulnerabilities in ML-KEM and explores countermeasures to mitigate these threats.