Side channels and microarchitectural security: Concepts, Cases, and Method
This is 55AA-003, week 11, session 1. It focuses on "Side channels and microarchitectural security" and turns the weekly plan into discussable, practicable, and reviewable class artifacts.
Learning Objectives
- Explain where "Side channels and microarchitectural security" fits in this course and what core problem it addresses.
- Analyze a case or system related to "Side channels and microarchitectural security" using today's method.
- Connect the session task to the course outcome: Identify trust boundaries, attack surfaces, and privilege paths.
- Complete the questions, notes, and synthesis required by lecture with guided questions.
Prerequisites
- Operating systems, systems programming, and networking fundamentals.
- Have read the weekly task: Reproduce a lab cache side channel and discuss mitigations.
- Be able to record assumptions, evidence, risks, and questions to validate in class.
Preparation
- Open the 55AA-003 course repository, readings, and this week's task brief.
- Write two true/false claims or open questions about "Side channels and microarchitectural security" before class.
- Be ready for concept comparison and case reading.
Class Flow
0-8Review and entry questionReview the previous conclusions and lead into "Side channels and microarchitectural security".
review
Review the previous conclusions and lead into "Side channels and microarchitectural security".
When judging "Side channels and microarchitectural security", what fact should be confirmed first?
Expected answer: First confirm the object, boundary, attacker or user capability, observable evidence, and evaluation criteria.
Follow-up: If that fact is not directly observable, what minimal experiment would you design?
Opening
Today's session focuses on "Side channels and microarchitectural security". We will not treat it as an isolated topic. We place it in the course workflow: define the object and boundary, gather evidence, and turn the result into engineering action.
Side channels and microarchitectural security class demo
Open the example, data, or project fragment related to "Side channels and microarchitectural security".
Side channels and microarchitectural security: lecture video
8-18Diagnostic questionAsk students to judge the most commonly misunderstood boundary in this topic.
diagnostic
Ask students to judge the most commonly misunderstood boundary in this topic.
When judging "Side channels and microarchitectural security", what fact should be confirmed first?
Expected answer: First confirm the object, boundary, attacker or user capability, observable evidence, and evaluation criteria.
Follow-up: If that fact is not directly observable, what minimal experiment would you design?
Review
Return to the previous discussion. State one important conclusion in a sentence, then state one remaining uncertainty. We will carry those uncertainties into today's analysis.
Side channels and microarchitectural security class demo
For the weekly task "Reproduce a lab cache side channel and discuss mitigations.", write the object, boundary, evidence, risk, and next action.
Side channels and microarchitectural security: lecture video
18-34Core concept explanationEstablish the terms, objects, boundaries, and reasoning path for "Side channels and microarchitectural security".
concept
Establish the terms, objects, boundaries, and reasoning path for "Side channels and microarchitectural security".
Where is the weekly task "Reproduce a lab cache side channel and discuss mitigations." most likely to fail?
Expected answer: Common failures include unclear goals, insufficient evidence, unreproducible environment, and conclusions without process.
Follow-up: What checklist item would reveal this failure early?
Guided question
Here is the first judgment question: if we know only the conclusion but not the environment, inputs, or evidence, can that conclusion guide engineering decisions? Answer yes or no first, then name your assumptions.
Side channels and microarchitectural security class demo
Open the example, data, or project fragment related to "Side channels and microarchitectural security".
Side channels and microarchitectural security: lecture video
34-48Case dissectionUse a small case to move from symptoms to root cause, evidence, and engineering action.
case
Use a small case to move from symptoms to root cause, evidence, and engineering action.
Where is the weekly task "Reproduce a lab cache side channel and discuss mitigations." most likely to fail?
Expected answer: Common failures include unclear goals, insufficient evidence, unreproducible environment, and conclusions without process.
Follow-up: What checklist item would reveal this failure early?
Explanation
For "Side channels and microarchitectural security", the key is not memorizing definitions but following an analysis order: define the object, list boundaries, state who can do what, find observable evidence, and turn the conclusion into a task or test.
Side channels and microarchitectural security class demo
For the weekly task "Reproduce a lab cache side channel and discuss mitigations.", write the object, boundary, evidence, risk, and next action.
Side channels and microarchitectural security: demo and review video
48-62Method frameworkAbstract the case into a reusable checklist and analysis steps.
method
Abstract the case into a reusable checklist and analysis steps.
What step is missing between concept understanding and engineering execution?
Expected answer: Concepts must become objects, inputs, outputs, judgment criteria, and evidence format.
Follow-up: How would you write this requirement into homework or project acceptance criteria?
Practice transition
Now apply that order to the weekly task: Reproduce a lab cache side channel and discuss mitigations. Do not write only the final answer; preserve how you ruled out alternatives.
Side channels and microarchitectural security class demo
Open the example, data, or project fragment related to "Side channels and microarchitectural security".
Side channels and microarchitectural security: demo and review video
62-75Short practiceStudents apply the method individually or in pairs to the weekly task: Reproduce a lab cache side channel and discuss mitigations.
practice
Students apply the method individually or in pairs to the weekly task: Reproduce a lab cache side channel and discuss mitigations.
What step is missing between concept understanding and engineering execution?
Expected answer: Concepts must become objects, inputs, outputs, judgment criteria, and evidence format.
Follow-up: How would you write this requirement into homework or project acceptance criteria?
Summary
Today's deliverable is not polished prose. It is a set of reviewable judgments. After class, complete the required evidence, commands, screenshots, logs, or review notes.
Side channels and microarchitectural security class demo
For the weekly task "Reproduce a lab cache side channel and discuss mitigations.", write the object, boundary, evidence, risk, and next action.
Side channels and microarchitectural security: demo and review video
75-84Whole-class discussionCollect answers and compare evidence quality, assumptions, and missing risks.
discussion
Collect answers and compare evidence quality, assumptions, and missing risks.
What step is missing between concept understanding and engineering execution?
Expected answer: Concepts must become objects, inputs, outputs, judgment criteria, and evidence format.
Follow-up: How would you write this requirement into homework or project acceptance criteria?
Summary
Today's deliverable is not polished prose. It is a set of reviewable judgments. After class, complete the required evidence, commands, screenshots, logs, or review notes.
Side channels and microarchitectural security class demo
Open the example, data, or project fragment related to "Side channels and microarchitectural security".
Side channels and microarchitectural security: demo and review video
84-90Summary and next-session hookSummarize the core judgment for "Side channels and microarchitectural security" and leave a lab or review question.
summary
Summarize the core judgment for "Side channels and microarchitectural security" and leave a lab or review question.
What step is missing between concept understanding and engineering execution?
Expected answer: Concepts must become objects, inputs, outputs, judgment criteria, and evidence format.
Follow-up: How would you write this requirement into homework or project acceptance criteria?
Summary
Today's deliverable is not polished prose. It is a set of reviewable judgments. After class, complete the required evidence, commands, screenshots, logs, or review notes.
Side channels and microarchitectural security class demo
For the weekly task "Reproduce a lab cache side channel and discuss mitigations.", write the object, boundary, evidence, risk, and next action.
Side channels and microarchitectural security: demo and review video
Homework
Reproduce a lab cache side channel and discuss mitigations. Prepare a concept map, case breakdown, and a verifiable question list.