Inline Cryptographic Processor Memory Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing secure processing systems face challenges in providing both tamper-resistance and flexibility, as they are often limited by the components that can be enclosed in a small tamper-proof package, leading to restricted computation power and limited application scope.
Innovation Solution
The development of an on-the-fly encryption engine that encrypts data written to external memory and decrypts data read from encrypted segments, while also intercepting memory operations to ensure memory integrity and prevent dictionary attacks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a small tamper-proof package is used to enclose processor and memory elements, then physical security and tamper resistance are improved, but computation power and system flexibility are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the memory into multiple segments, with at least one segment designated as trusted memory enclosed in a tamper-proof package and other segments as untrusted external memory. This segmentation allows the tamper-proof package to remain small while still providing extensive secure storage capacity through the trusted memory segment, while the untrusted segments provide additional flexibility and capacity externally.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor acts as an intermediary between the trusted memory and untrusted external memory, verifying the integrity of data accessed from external memory through cryptographic mechanisms. This allows the system to leverage external memory for flexibility while maintaining security through the processor's verification function.
2Reliability
If a small tamper-proof package is used to enclose processor and memory elements, then physical security is improved, but computation power is limited
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting memory into trusted and untrusted portions, the system allows the tamper-proof package to contain only the essential trusted memory and processor, while offloading computational work to the untrusted external memory segments, thereby increasing overall computation power without compromising the small size of the secure enclave.
Solution Approach 2:
The trusted processor performs multiple functions including executing trusted code, verifying integrity of data from external memory, and managing cryptographic operations. This multi-functionality allows the small tamper-proof package to provide extensive secure computing capability despite its limited physical size.
3Reliability
If integrity verification and encryption schemes are implemented to ensure memory integrity, then security is improved, but performance overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes cryptographic keys and integrity verification mechanisms before data access occurs. The processor maintains trusted cryptographic material that can be used to quickly verify data integrity without requiring complex real-time computation, thereby reducing performance overhead while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses cryptographic hashes and integrity verification mechanisms that create a copy of the verification data rather than requiring direct manipulation of the original data, allowing efficient verification without compromising performance.
Data Source
AI summary
A real time, on-the-fly data encryption system is operable to encrypt and decrypt data flow between a secure processor and an unsecure external memory systen. Multiple memory segments are supported, each with its own separate encryption capability, or no encryption at all. Data integrity is ensured by hardware protection from code attempting to access data across memory segment boundaries. Protection is also provided against dictionary attacks by monitoring multiple access attempts to the same memory location.