A comprehensive evaluation approach for efficient countermeasure techniques against timing side-channel attack on MPSoC-based IoT using multi-criteria decision-making methods

Context: Timing side-channel attack countermeasure techniques (TSCA-CTs) evaluation is a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem based on different MPSoCs of IoT platform architectures, performance, and design overhead. Therefore, the Fermatean by fuzzy decision opinion score method (F-FDOSM) for prioritizing the powerful countermeasure technique against timing side-channel attack is the best approach because it employs the most efficient MCDM ranking technique. Nonetheless, the FDOSM method needs to weigh the criteria before being submitted for the ranking process. In order to address this theoretical challenge, the Criteria-importance through inter-criteria correlation (CRITIC) technique can be applied as an effective MCDM weighting technique to offer an explicit weight for a set of criteria with no inconsistency based on the standard deviation, which uses correlation analysis to determine the relevance of each criterion.Objectives: This research proposes a Fermatean-FDOSM framework for evaluating TSCA-CTs in the con-text of MPSoCs-based IoT and CRITIC techniques to weight the criteria.Methods: The methodology is presented in three phases. Firstly, a proposed countermeasure techniques dataset was collected that included seven defense approaches (e.g., Gossip and SER router) based on ten criteria (e.g., number of malicious IP cores, number of routers, power, latency... etc.). Then, the decision matrix was built based on an intersection of the countermeasure techniques as an alternative and MPSoC design and performance criteria. Then, the multi-criteria decision-making methods were integrated. The CRITIC method for criteria weighting was followed by the development of the Fermatean-FDOSM method for ranking.Results: (1) CRITIC weighting shows that MPSoC NoC throughput (packet/clock) is the highest weight cri-terion, whereas latency (clock/cycle) is the less weight criterion. (2) The Fermatean-FDOSM-based group ranking shows that the Adaptive routing countermeasure technique is the highest score alternative com-pared to the Combined with separate interface hybrid approach. (3) The TSCA-CTs priority ranks were subjected to a systematic ranking that was confirmed by strong correlation results throughout ten crite-rion weight values. A comparison with recent studies confirmed the feasibility of the proposed frame-work.Conclusion: The outcomes of this study are anticipated to give particular knowledge and direction to those who want to do decision theory-based MPSoCs-based IoT and NoC communication security research.(c) 2023 THE AUTHORS. Published by Elsevier BV on behalf of Faculty of Computers and Artificial Intel-ligence, Cairo University. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creative-commons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).