Safe Code Jumps and Execution Strobes

Abstract

This application relates to secure code jumps and execution gating. Systems, apparatus, and methods are disclosed for improving the security of silicon-based systems by creating a glitch-resistant process for executing blocks of software code on the silicon-based systems. An example method may begin by marking a block of software code as non-executable. Second, the intent to execute the block of software code is registered using a staging register. Third, the software code blocks are compressed into compressed constants. Fourth, the compression constant is compared to a first predetermined value using two comparators. Fifth, the block of software code is marked executable to allow execution of the software code in response to the comparator providing a true result after the comparison. In another aspect, the example method may be repeated for n>1 iterations, and in each iteration i, the ith block of software code is compressed to the ith compression constant compared to the ith predetermined value.

Description

technical field [0001] This application relates to secure code jumps and execution gating. Background technique [0002] Silicon chips are used in many silicon-based systems such as mobile computers and smartphones. Each silicon chip may contain integrated circuits and be used as components of computer or electronic systems. However, silicon chips are vulnerable to malicious attacks, such as glitches caused by an attacker using voltage, lasers, or similar destructive techniques. These glitches interfere with program control flow, including causing jumps to specific code locations that may benefit the attacker. [0003] In more detail, code execution instructions such as JUMP instructions in conventional silicon-based systems may be executed in response to conditional IF / THEN check instructions with a single condition that verifies the code. If the condition is met, the instruction returns TRUE and performs a code execution operation. In the case that the instruction is J...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0004] This simple IF / THEN conditional operation is very vulnerable because the IF check can easily change from FALSE to TRUE due to glitch interference, or the JUMP operation can jump to the location specified by the attacker due to glitch interference to execute Malicious code

Images