Protected Memory Region Access Using Signed Read Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory systems lack efficient techniques for secure access to protected regions, leaving them vulnerable to malicious parties and failing to support asymmetric key verification and dynamic configuration of protected regions.
Innovation Solution
A host system and memory system exchange symmetric or asymmetric keys to access protected regions, with periodic updates, and the memory system verifies the host's authorization and signs the data to ensure authenticity, allowing dynamic adjustment of protected region attributes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional memory access methods are used, then ease of operation is maintained, but security against malicious access is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary authentication by requiring the host system to provide authentication credentials (such as a digital certificate or key) before the memory system grants access to protected regions. This preliminary action ensures security is established before data access occurs, resolving the contradiction by adding security without significantly increasing operational complexity for authorized users.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an authentication mechanism as an intermediary layer between the host system and protected memory regions. This intermediary verifies credentials and grants or denies access accordingly, providing robust security while maintaining ease of operation for authorized hosts through automated authentication processes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If protected regions are statically configured, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different security requirements is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables dynamic configuration of protected regions by allowing the host system to programmatically define, modify, and adjust protection attributes (such as read-only, read-write, execute permissions) and region boundaries during system operation. This dynamic approach provides high adaptability to different security requirements while managing complexity through software-based control rather than hardwired configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows modification of protection parameters (region size, location, access permissions) without requiring physical reconfiguration or system reset. The memory system can dynamically change these parameters based on host requests, providing versatile security configurations while maintaining manageable complexity through parameter-based control mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for authenticated reading of memory system data are described. In some examples, a host system and a memory system may exchange keys used to grant the host system access to one or more protected regions of the memory system. The keys may be symmetric or asymmetric. In some cases, the host system may transmit a read command to access data stored at a protected region of the memory system, along with a signature generated using the key associated with the protected region. The memory system may verify the signature to determine whether the host is authorized to access the protected region, and may transmit the requested data to the host system. In some examples, the memory system may sign the returned data, so that the host system may verify the source of the data.