Systems and methods for side-channel monitoring a local network are disclosed. The methods involve generating a program trace signal from at least one of power consumption, electromagnetic emission, or acoustic emanation of a control processor connected to the local network and operating a monitoring processor to detect a communication of a message on the local network; identify at least one purported control processor related to the communication; analyze the program trace signal of the at least one purported control processor relative to the communication; and at least one of an authenticate or verify one or more purported control processors of the at least one purported control processor based on the program trace signal of the at least one purported control processor.