In one embodiment, a semiconductor device comprises: a bulk comprising a bulk material characterized by a potential designated as a ground, and a bulk thinning detector being a section of the bulk that includes one or more conducting materials. The bulk thinning detector is adapted to be connected to the ground when a part of the bulk material is underneath and contiguous with a portion of the one or more conducting materials in the section. The semiconductor device further comprises: one more electronic components in at least one active layer of the semiconductor device, the one or more electronic components and the bulk thinning detector being included in a circuit for detecting whether there is backside thinning of the semiconductor device by detecting whether at least one of: the bulk thinning detector is disconnected from the ground, or there is a change in resistance of the bulk thinning detector.