of ICs for the systems of sensitive application (space vehicles, navigation, communications, computing equipment, security systems for nuclear stations, etc.). The
hardware Trojans are a threat for real—in case of their infiltration into our ICs or
electronic devices, the reputation of the Holding as a reliable supplier may suffer a
substantial blow with all detrimental consequences. Therefore, several years ago a
task was assigned to a group of competent corporate experts—to mull the problem
and to develop the appropriate internal instructions for our employees and students,
including the special measures on safeguarding (elimination of threats), which were
subsequently put into effect.
On the basis of the obtained and systematized by our experts of a huge volume
of information, retrieved from over a thousand publications, a series of articles and
a number of books were published. Thus, in Belarus there were published the books
“Software and Hardware Trojans—Technological Platform of Cyber-Weapons”,
“Informational Security in the Digital State: Concepts, Means, Methods of
Ensuring” (Gomel State University), and in Russia «Software and Hardware
Trojans—Means of Infiltration and Methods of Counteraction. No. 1 Technical
Encyclopedia in 2 Books».
These works depicted how they embedded into integrated circuits hardware
Trojans, corrupting then the circuit boards of the electronic blocks of the various
radioelectronic and information–communication systems, on commands of the
intruders can route the covert channels for transmission of the classified information
to the “Trojan host” and even meddle into operations of these devices and systems,
garbling the information, deteriorating the technical parameters, and undermining
reliability to complete destruction of the entire system under attack.
In this book, proposed to the reader, we used both the materials of our
above-indicated works and the new sections, dedicated to the problems of cybersecurity. For instance, there are all reasons to surmise that the cyberattacks on the
objects of critical infrastructure will assume all the more complex nature, starting
from the non-trivial complicated infrastructure of the program codes and finishing
with the more unobvious results of influence. Thus, the terrorist groups, attempting
to get the fission materials (for instance, in the form of the used nuclear fuel of a
nuclear power plant) for the goal of production of the so-called “dirty” bomb, may
start planning not an armed assault in process of the outright attack on the nuclear
station, but rather may try to hack the corporate network of the enterprise with the
purpose to reveal the logistics of transportation, introduce changes into the schedule
of routes, forge the transfer documents, i.e., to bring the sensitive elements out from
the restricted area, which will facilitate their possible capture or theft. Obviously,
with the automation increase of the technological processes, the risks of such at first
glance fantastic scenarios rise, and the counteraction measures should be computed
and envisaged in advance.
Actually, the book is essentially a technical encyclopedia on the cyberweapons
—here the development history is analyzed of this advanced kind of weapons,
theory, practice of application, its technological platform (viruses, software, and
hardware Trojans), and methods of safeguarding.
Preface
vii
hardware Trojans are a threat for real—in case of their infiltration into our ICs or
electronic devices, the reputation of the Holding as a reliable supplier may suffer a
substantial blow with all detrimental consequences. Therefore, several years ago a
task was assigned to a group of competent corporate experts—to mull the problem
and to develop the appropriate internal instructions for our employees and students,
including the special measures on safeguarding (elimination of threats), which were
subsequently put into effect.
On the basis of the obtained and systematized by our experts of a huge volume
of information, retrieved from over a thousand publications, a series of articles and
a number of books were published. Thus, in Belarus there were published the books
“Software and Hardware Trojans—Technological Platform of Cyber-Weapons”,
“Informational Security in the Digital State: Concepts, Means, Methods of
Ensuring” (Gomel State University), and in Russia «Software and Hardware
Trojans—Means of Infiltration and Methods of Counteraction. No. 1 Technical
Encyclopedia in 2 Books».
These works depicted how they embedded into integrated circuits hardware
Trojans, corrupting then the circuit boards of the electronic blocks of the various
radioelectronic and information–communication systems, on commands of the
intruders can route the covert channels for transmission of the classified information
to the “Trojan host” and even meddle into operations of these devices and systems,
garbling the information, deteriorating the technical parameters, and undermining
reliability to complete destruction of the entire system under attack.
In this book, proposed to the reader, we used both the materials of our
above-indicated works and the new sections, dedicated to the problems of cybersecurity. For instance, there are all reasons to surmise that the cyberattacks on the
objects of critical infrastructure will assume all the more complex nature, starting
from the non-trivial complicated infrastructure of the program codes and finishing
with the more unobvious results of influence. Thus, the terrorist groups, attempting
to get the fission materials (for instance, in the form of the used nuclear fuel of a
nuclear power plant) for the goal of production of the so-called “dirty” bomb, may
start planning not an armed assault in process of the outright attack on the nuclear
station, but rather may try to hack the corporate network of the enterprise with the
purpose to reveal the logistics of transportation, introduce changes into the schedule
of routes, forge the transfer documents, i.e., to bring the sensitive elements out from
the restricted area, which will facilitate their possible capture or theft. Obviously,
with the automation increase of the technological processes, the risks of such at first
glance fantastic scenarios rise, and the counteraction measures should be computed
and envisaged in advance.
Actually, the book is essentially a technical encyclopedia on the cyberweapons
—here the development history is analyzed of this advanced kind of weapons,
theory, practice of application, its technological platform (viruses, software, and
hardware Trojans), and methods of safeguarding.
Preface
vii