Mixed Storage of Data Fields in Non-Volatile Memory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic systems employing one-time programmable (OTP) circuits are vulnerable to electromagnetic fault injection (EMFI) attacks, which can corrupt data and bypass security measures, particularly affecting dynamic fields that cannot be protected by integrity checks.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves arranging non-volatile memory cells in rows and columns, mixing bits of dynamic and static fields in a pattern across the storage, and using a security circuit to perform integrity checks on the static fields, which implicitly verifies the validity of dynamic fields, generating an alert signal for security violations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If OTP circuits are used to store static configuration data, then system security is enabled, but the system becomes vulnerable to electromagnetic fault injection attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the storage of dynamic and static fields into separate memory locations. Dynamic fields are stored in one location while static fields are stored in another location, allowing independent integrity verification of static fields without exposing them to the same attack vectors as dynamic fields.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary integrity check mechanism that verifies static fields through a separate validation process. This intermediary layer prevents direct access to static fields and blocks EMFI attacks from compromising the cryptographic operations that depend on them.
2Device complexity
If dynamic and static fields are stored together in the same memory location, then storage is simplified, but integrity verification becomes impossible for dynamic fields
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the storage structure into separate segments for dynamic fields and static fields. This segmentation allows the system to apply different integrity verification strategies: static fields can be verified through checksums or cryptographic hashes, while dynamic fields are protected through the separation itself, preventing corruption from propagating to static fields.
3Reliability
If integrity checks are performed on all data fields, then security is enhanced, but the system complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by performing integrity checks only on static fields rather than all data fields. Since static fields are the critical component for cryptographic operations and are stored separately, verifying only these fields provides sufficient security while reducing the overall complexity and processing time of the integrity check mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
An array of non-volatile memory cells includes rows and columns. A volatile storage circuit provides addressable units of storage. A control circuit reads first type data and second type data from one or more of the rows and multiple ones of the columns of the array of non-volatile memory cells. The control circuit stores the first type data and second type data read from each row in one or more addressable units of storage of the volatile storage. A security circuit reads first data from the one or more of the addressable units of the volatile storage and selects from the first data, the second type data that includes one or more bits of each of the one or more of the addressable units. The security circuit performs an integrity check on the selected second type data, and generates an alert signal that indicates a security violation in response to failure of the integrity check.