Memory Controller Application Authentication via Instruction Pointer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Networked devices face increasing data security threats due to unauthorized access by external applications, leading to potential data damage, disclosure, or alteration.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for authenticating applications that request memory access by acquiring a characteristic instruction, using an instruction pointer to retrieve characteristic information from the memory, and comparing it with pre-stored authentication information to ensure legitimate access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional authentication methods are used to verify application access, then security is improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to impersonation attacks and requires transferable characteristic information that can be intercepted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the authentication verification process from the application layer and relocates it to the memory controller layer. The memory controller directly verifies application characteristics against stored authentication information, eliminating the need for transferable characteristic information that could be intercepted by attackers.
Solution Approach 2:
The memory controller acts as an intermediary between the application and the authentication verification process. It receives the application binary, extracts characteristic information, and compares it with pre-stored authentication information, preventing direct exposure of authentication credentials to potential attackers.
2Ease of operation
If characteristic information is made transferable for authentication purposes, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened due to potential interception and malicious use
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication system is segmented into distinct components: the application provides binary, the memory controller extracts characteristic information and performs verification against pre-stored authentication data. This segmentation allows authentication to proceed without transferring sensitive characteristic information, maintaining both ease of operation and security.
3Reliability
If comprehensive authentication verification is implemented, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication verification function is merged into the existing memory controller architecture. The memory controller combines its existing memory management capabilities with authentication verification, extracting characteristic information from application binary and comparing it with pre-stored authentication information without requiring a separate authentication hardware module.
Data Source
AI summary
The present application provides a method for authenticating an application that requests access to a memory, comprising: acquiring an authentication request provided by the application; acquiring a characteristic instruction provided by the application in response to the authentication request; acquiring an instruction pointer corresponding to the characteristic instruction; acquiring from the memory characteristic information of the application which is pre-stored in the memory based on the instruction pointer; and comparing the acquired characteristic information with authentication information corresponding to the application, so as to determine whether the authentication of the application is successful.