Side-channel attacks are security exploits that gather information from the physical implementation of a system rather than targeting the software or algorithms directly. These attacks can analyze various types of data, such as timing information, power consumption, electromagnetic leaks, or even sound, to extract sensitive information like cryptographic keys. By observing how a system behaves under different conditions, attackers can infer valuable information without needing to break through traditional security measures. This makes side-channel attacks particularly dangerous, as they can bypass encryption and other protective mechanisms by exploiting the unintended information that is leaked during normal operation.