Hardware enforced content protection for graphics processing units

Abstract

A graphics processing unit (GPU) is configured to access a first memory unit according to one of an unsecure mode and a secure mode. The GPU may include a memory access controller configured to allow the GPU to read data from only an unsecure portion of the first memory unit when the GPU is in the unsecure mode, and configured to allow the GPU to write data only to a secure portion of the first memory unit when the GPU is in the secure mode.

Description

technical field [0001] This disclosure relates to techniques for graphics processing, and more particularly, to techniques for content protection. Background technique [0002] Modern operating systems (both open platforms (e.g., Android or other open source platforms) and closed platforms (e.g., Microsoft ) are generally not trusted in protecting secure content that is streamed to or processed by the open platform. While modern operating systems provide a level of security via user kernel-mode separation, ultimately kernel-mode components do not provide a strong level of trust in closed platforms and especially in open platforms. Kernel-mode drivers can be easily installed, and malicious kernel-mode drivers naturally bypass security boundaries. Kernel-mode hardware drivers in such open platforms are used to control the operation of hardware that can process secure content, such as graphics processing units (GPUs). However, because such drivers are often open source and / ...

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