Side-Channel Attack definition in Cybersecurity

A side-channel attack is any attack based on information gained from the physical implementation of a computer system, rather than weaknesses in the implemented algorithm itself (e.g., cryptanalysis and software bugs).

Notable Incidents

1. Spectre and Meltdown attacks, which exploit speculative execution in CPUs. Wikipedia
2. The RSA SecurID breach in 2011, where information was potentially extracted via side-channel attacks.

How to Protect Your Network against Side-Channel Attack

1. Implement hardware that is resistant to side-channel attacks.
2. Use cryptographic algorithms and protocols that are designed to be secure against side-channel attacks.