Loadable Security Kernel Architecture for Wireless Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing security solutions for wireless communication devices lack efficient mechanisms for ensuring secure booting and authentication of security kernels, leading to vulnerabilities in secure memory spaces and potential hacking risks.
Innovation Solution
A loadable security kernel architecture is implemented, where a processor with secure writable memory downloads, authenticates, and transfers the kernel to a predetermined address only if authentication is successful, ensuring secure operation and minimizing security risks by using hooks in the ROM code to enable flashing and booting processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If security kernel is hard-coded into the chip during manufacturing, then security reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost and time increase due to re-spinning chips for updates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the security kernel from the hardware chip, allowing the kernel to be stored externally in flash memory while the chip contains only authentication logic. This segmentation enables independent updates of the security kernel without requiring chip re-manufacturing, resolving the contradiction between security reliability and manufacturing flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic security kernel that can be loaded and updated at runtime rather than being static and fixed during manufacturing. The loadable kernel architecture allows the security software to be refreshed without hardware changes, maintaining security reliability while eliminating costly re-spinning processes.
2Ease of manufacture
If security kernel is stored in external memory, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but security vulnerability increases due to potential hacking risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary authentication of the security kernel before it is loaded into memory. The processor verifies the kernel's authenticity and integrity through cryptographic checks during the boot process, preventing unauthorized or malicious kernels from being executed. This preliminary validation mitigates security vulnerabilities while maintaining the benefits of external storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an authentication mechanism as an intermediary between the external memory and the processor. This intermediary layer verifies the security kernel's validity before allowing execution, creating a security barrier that protects against hacking risks while enabling flexible external storage of the kernel.
3Reliability
If authentication mechanism is added to verify security kernel, then security reliability is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication of the security kernel is performed during the boot process before the operating system is loaded. By completing the time-consuming verification beforehand, the patent ensures security reliability without significantly impacting user-perceived processing time during normal operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A device (200, 2200) for improved security includes a processor (200) and a secure writeable memory (2245) coupled to said processor (200) and including code (2240) to download a loadable security kernel to the processor (200), authenticate the loadable security kernel, and transfer the kernel so that the kernel begins at a predetermined address inside the secure writeable memory (2245) only if the authentication is successful. A process (2400) of manufacturing a target communication device (2310) having a memory space having a secure writable portion (2245) of the memory space, the manufacturing process (2400) using a host machine (2330). The manufacturing process (2400) includes downloading (2540) the loadable security kernel from the host machine (2330) to the memory space at the target (2310). The loadable security kernel has a flashing entry point. The process also includes authenticating (2590) the downloaded loadable security kernel received at the target (2310), moving (2640) the loadable security kernel in the memory space provided the authenticating is successful (2610), wherein after the moving (2640) the loadable security kernel is in the secure writable portion (2245) of the memory space; and jumping (2650) to a predetermined location in the secure writable portion of the memory space, the predetermined location coinciding with the flashing entry point of the security kernel as moved.