Hardware Lockdown Jumper for Secure System Feature Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing software-based solutions for securing computing systems are susceptible to remote subversion and modification, despite encryption and other security measures, as they can be manipulated by unauthorized entities, making it difficult to maintain secure isolation of system features.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of programmable hardware logic and non-volatile storage to configure and isolate system features, using a lockdown jumper to prevent modification of signal states, ensuring that system features can only be enabled or disabled through physical interaction or trusted remote administration, thereby creating a secure lockdown state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If software-based solutions are used to disable or unload system features, then system security is improved, but the system remains susceptible to remote subversion and modification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces software-based security mechanisms with hardware-based mechanisms. Specifically, it uses a lockdown jumper (physical mechanical component) to control the enablement state of system features through hardware logic, making the security state resistant to software-based subversion attacks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces hardware logic as an intermediary between the lockdown jumper and the system features. This hardware logic layer translates the physical state of the jumper into controlled enablement/disablement of features, creating a secure intermediate layer that cannot be easily subverted by software attacks.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If hardware logic and lockdown jumpers are used to isolate system features, then resistance to remote subversion is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the system into distinct functional blocks: the lockdown jumper, the hardware logic unit, and the system features. This segmentation allows each component to have a specific, simple function while collectively providing robust security against remote subversion.
3Reliability
If system features are locked down through physical interaction, then unauthorized modification is prevented, but ease of operation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a management controller as an intermediary that provides remote administrative capability. This controller can programmatically set the lockdown state and modify signal states, serving as a convenient mediator between authorized administrators and the hardware lockdown mechanism.
Data Source
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AI summary
Operations include isolating one or more system features. A system stores a set of signal states, comprising a signal state for each system feature. Hardware of the system is configurable to a lockdown state, in which the set of signal states cannot be modified. The hardware of the system is also configurable to a non-lockdown state, in which the set of signal states can be modified. Hardware logic configures functionality of the set of system features based on the signal states.