Exploiting HDMI and USB Ports for GPU Side-Channel Insights

TL;DR

A custom device is developed that plugs into HDMI and USB ports and it is demonstrated that its high-resolution power measurements can drive successful inferences about GPU processes, such as neural network computations and video rendering.

Abstract

Modern computers rely on USB and HDMI ports for connecting external peripherals and display devices. Despite their built-in security measures, these ports remain susceptible to passive power-based side-channel attacks. This paper presents a new class of attacks that exploit power consumption patterns at these ports to infer GPU activities. We develop a custom device that plugs into these ports and demonstrate that its high-resolution power measurements can drive successful inferences about GPU processes, such as neural network computations and video rendering. The ubiquitous presence of USB and HDMI ports allows for discreet placement of the device, and its non-interference with data channels ensures that no security alerts are triggered. Our findings underscore the need to reevaluate and strengthen the current generation of HDMI and USB port security defenses.

Figures (11)

• Figure 1: Illustration of the attack process. The example used here is that of a neural network running on the victim/targeted computer
• Figure 2: Desktop Computer Power supply.
• Figure 3: Circuit of the attack device.
• Figure 4: The attack device.
• Figure 5: Raw reading for Scene rendering with Glmark software.