Abstract: The exiting test pattern generation method have the problem of low trigger coverage for hardware Trojan detection. In order to solve this problem, a test pattern generation method based on artificial bee colony algorithm is proposed. Firstly, the distribution regularity of test patterns which can trigger the combination of inactive nets is analyzed. And the mathematical model is constructed to describe the test pattern. Then, the test pattern is generated by artificial bee colony algorithm. Combining with its distribution regularity, this method can search local regions efficiently to find test patterns that can trigger more combinations of inactive nets. At the same time, it can search global world quickly and effectively avoid the problem of "premature convergence". The experimental results show that using the test vectors generated by this method to test circuit, the average trigger coverage rate of hardware Trojan can reach 95.86%. Compared with the existing method, this method improves 22.43%, and has better hardware Trojan activation effect.

Key words: hardware Trojan; integrated circuit (IC); inactive net; artificial bee colony algorithm; activation strategy