Hardware Scheduling Isolation for Secret-Dependent Data Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data processing systems face security vulnerabilities due to software processing circuits being attacked, leading to leakage of secret information, which compromises operation security.
Innovation Solution
Implement a system with a software processing circuit that generates scheduling instructions independent of secret information, and a hardware processing circuit that executes operations based on these instructions, using secret information to determine data addresses, thereby preventing software attacks from obtaining secret information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If software processing circuit generates scheduling instructions based on secret information, then operation speed is improved, but secret information leakage occurs when software is attacked
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the processing circuit into software processing circuit and hardware processing circuit. The software processing circuit generates scheduling instructions without accessing secret information, while the hardware processing circuit executes operations using secret information stored in secure storage. This segmentation isolates secret information from software attacks while maintaining high operation speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The hardware processing circuit acts as an intermediary between the software processing circuit and the secret information stored in storage circuit. The software processing circuit sends scheduling instructions to the hardware processing circuit, which then accesses secret information and performs operations. This intermediary structure prevents direct software access to secret information while enabling efficient processing.
2Reliability
If hardware processing circuit uses secret information to determine data addresses, then operation security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hardware processing circuit performs multiple functions: it executes scheduling instructions from software, accesses secret information from storage, determines data addresses based on secret information, and performs operations. This multi-functionality consolidates security-critical operations in a single hardware component, improving security without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hardware processing circuit autonomously determines data addresses by itself using secret information, without requiring software intervention. When the flag bit indicates security-sensitive operations, the hardware processing circuit independently accesses secret information from storage and calculates the correct data addresses, reducing software complexity while maintaining security.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of this application provide an operation method, an operation apparatus, and a device, applied to an operation system that includes a software processing circuit, a hardware processing circuit, and a storage circuit. The software processing circuit is configured to work by executing a software program. The storage circuit stores secret information. The method includes: the software processing circuit obtains an operation task, and generates, based on the operation task, one or more scheduling instructions corresponding to the operation task, where each scheduling instruction includes an operation type of one operation and a flag bit; and after receiving the one or more scheduling instructions, the hardware processing circuit obtains the secret information from the storage circuit when the flag bit in the scheduling instruction is a valid value, determines, based on the secret information, data addresses of one or more pieces of operation data required for completing the operation corresponding to the scheduling instruction, and obtains the one or more pieces of operation data based on the data addresses to complete the operation corresponding to each scheduling instruction, to complete the operation task. This improves operation security.