Hardware Accelerator Access via Secure and Non-Secure Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing system architecture requires non-secure processing components to communicate with secure processing components to access hardware accelerators, leading to increased data transfers, resource wastage, and complexity due to multi-processor interactions and software splits.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where hardware accelerators are accessible by both secure and non-secure processing components through separate channels, eliminating the need for multi-processor interactions and software splits, and incorporating additional security components to maintain system security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If non-secure processing components communicate with secure processing components to access hardware accelerators, then system security is maintained, but data transfer volume increases and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into secure and non-secure domains with separate access paths. Non-secure processing components access hardware accelerators through a non-secure channel, while secure processing components access through a secure channel. This segmentation allows independent access paths that reduce inter-domain communication overhead and system complexity while maintaining security boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The hardware accelerator is positioned as an intermediary resource that can be accessed by both secure and non-secure domains through separate channels. This eliminates the need for non-secure components to communicate with secure components, reducing message passing and interaction complexity while maintaining security isolation.
2Reliability
If non-secure processing components communicate with secure processing components to access hardware accelerators, then access control is maintained, but number of data transfers increases
Solution Approach 1:
Access channels are segmented into secure and non-secure paths. Non-secure processing components directly access hardware accelerators through non-secure channels, eliminating the need to transfer data through secure processing components. This segmentation reduces data transfer volume while maintaining access control through channel-level security management.
3Reliability
If hardware accelerators are exclusively in the secure domain, then security is enhanced, but accessibility by non-secure components requires additional communication overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The hardware accelerator is designed with universal access capability, allowing both secure and non-secure processing components to access it through their respective channels. This multi-functionality enables the same hardware resource to serve both security-critical and non-security-critical operations without requiring separate accelerator instances, improving resource utilization and access efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A system may include a first processing component arranged in a secure domain of the system. The system may include a second processing component arranged outside of the secure domain of the system. The system may include one or more hardware accelerators to perform operations in association with providing communication security for the system. The one or more hardware accelerators may be accessible by the first processing component via a channel in the secure domain. The one or more hardware accelerators may be accessible by at least the second processing component via a channel outside of the secure domain.