Reference no: EM131030589

This the a programming question.

Subject : Computer Artitecture

Covert Channel Communication Using Branch Predictors

In this exercise, you will implement and experiment with covert channel communications using branch predictors. In computer security, a covert channel is a type of security and surveillance evading technique that enables data transfer and digital communications between processes that are not allowed to communicate according to security or access control policy or between processes that are supposed to be isolated without explicit communication channels.

The article "Covert channels through branch predictors: a feasibility study" discloses a way of conducting covert channel communications using branch predictors. The article can be downloaded either from https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=2768571 or the class website. A presentation of the approach can be found here htto://caslab.eng.yale.edu/workshops/hasp20I5/slides_05_evtvushkin.pdf.

In this extra credit assignment, you will implement branch predictor based covert channels on a computer model of your choice (e.g., any Intel/AMD based computer). You will receive full credit if you can successfully demonstrate that two processes can communicate using the implemented covert channels. For testing purpose, one process should send a message "deadbeef' and the second process should correctly receive the message.

Different from the previous extra credit exercise, for this exercise, each point is added directly on your final grade. To receive full credit, you need to submit a simple writeup that briefly describes how your implementation works, demonstrate your implementation, and turn in a copy of your program (electronically, please).