Memory Access Authentication for Unauthorized Command Blocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory systems with self-encrypting functions, such as SSDs, face security vulnerabilities due to unverified access commands, allowing unauthorized users to access sensitive data, which can lead to data leakage and tampering.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a controller that manages user authentication and access control by generating and verifying authenticators based on user identification information, ensuring that only authenticated users can access specific logical address ranges in the nonvolatile memory, adhering to standards like the TCG standard.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If access control is implemented without authenticator verification, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened allowing unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The controller generates and transmits authenticators to the host in advance before data access operations. The host stores these authenticators and includes them in access commands, allowing the controller to verify authenticity before executing sensitive operations on the nonvolatile memory, thus preventing unauthorized access while maintaining operational efficiency
2Reliability
If authenticator verification is implemented, then security is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The security function is segmented between the controller and host: the controller generates and transmits authenticators, the host stores and transmits them in access commands, and the controller verifies them. This segmentation allows the memory system to implement robust security while keeping the controller's internal structure relatively simple
Solution Approach 2:
The authenticator acts as an intermediary element between the controller and host, serving as a verification token that enables secure access without requiring complex cryptographic processing in the memory system itself. The host handles authenticator management, reducing the complexity burden on the controller
Data Source
AI summary
A memory system includes a controller. The controller manages authentication information associated with a user ID. The controller generates a first authenticator associated with the user ID and transmits the first authenticator to a host. The controller receives an access command that includes the user ID and a second authenticator. The controller verifies authenticity of the second authenticator by using at least the authentication information and the first authenticator. When the authenticity of the second authenticator has been confirmed, the controller executes a process in accordance with the access command. When the authenticity of the second authenticator has not been confirmed, the controller does not execute the process.