DRAMScope: Uncovering DRAM Microarchitecture and Characteristics by Issuing Memory Commands

• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2405.02499
• Publication Date: 2024-05-03
• Authors: Hwayong Nam; Seungmin Baek; Minbok Wi; Michael Jaemin Kim; Jaehyun Park; Chihun Song; Nam Sung Kim; Jung Ho Ahn
• Keywords: Microarchitecture; Dram

The demand for precise information on DRAM microarchitectures and error characteristics has surged, driven by the need to explore processing in memory, enhance reliability, mitigate security vulnerability. Nonetheless, manufacturers have disclosed only a limited amount of information, making it difficult find specific their microarchitectures. This paper addresses this gap presenting more rigorous findings commodity chips impacts activate-induced bitflips (AIBs), such as RowHammer RowPress. previous studies also attempted understand associated behaviors, but we found some results be misled inaccurate address mapping internal data swizzling, or lack deeper understanding modern cell structure. For accurate efficient reverse-engineering, use three tools: AIBs, retention time test, RowCopy, which can cross-validated. With these tools, first take macroscopic view uncover size, structure, operation subarrays, memory array tiles (MATs), rows. Then, analyze AIB based microscopic microarchitecture, 6F^2 layout, through rectify misunderstandings regarding AIBs discover new pattern that accelerates AIBs. Lastly, our at both levels, identify previously unknown vulnerabilities propose simple yet effective protection solution.