Secure Command Decoder for Memory Encryption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory devices lack robust security mechanisms to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access and interception, as digital data is easily intercepted due to ease of access and storage.
Innovation Solution
A secure command decoder is implemented in memory devices to authenticate hosts, decrypt and execute encrypted commands, and encrypt results, using security logic circuitry and encryption algorithms like AES-GCM, ensuring secure storage and retrieval by protecting sensitive information with encryption and authentication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If digital data is stored in memory devices for easy access, then data retrieval efficiency is improved, but security against unauthorized interception and access deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The command structure is segmented into multiple fields: command code field for operation type, immediate data field for encrypted parameters, and separate address fields. This segmentation allows the system to maintain efficient command processing while embedding security mechanisms within specific segments of the command structure.
Solution Approach 2:
An encrypted immediate data field acts as an intermediary between the host and memory device, carrying authenticated and encrypted command parameters. This intermediary layer prevents unauthorized access while allowing legitimate operations to proceed efficiently through decryption and authentication processes.
2Reliability
If encryption mechanisms are implemented to protect sensitive data, then security is improved, but device complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
Authentication and encryption/decryption operations are performed preliminarily on the immediate data field before the actual memory access command is executed. The host authenticates and encrypts command parameters in advance, allowing the memory device to efficiently process pre-validated commands without adding complex real-time security processing.
Solution Approach 2:
Security mechanisms are applied locally to specific fields (command code field, immediate data field, address fields) rather than entire command structures. This localized approach enables selective encryption and authentication only where needed, reducing overall processing overhead while maintaining security for sensitive parameters.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple hosts are supported through I/O interface, then adaptability is improved, but security management and authentication overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The command decoder is designed with universal authentication and decryption capabilities that can handle multiple hosts through a standardized interface. The same authentication mechanisms and encrypted immediate data field structure are applied uniformly across all host connections, enabling multi-host support without requiring separate security management for each host.
Data Source
AI summary
A memory device, including a secure command decoder implementing security logic configured to detect commands carrying an encrypted immediate data payload from a requesting host, authenticate the host as source of the command, decode the immediate data and perform a memory access command called for by a command portion of the decrypted immediate data upon the storage cells of the memory device using the non-command portion of the decrypted immediate data, as well as to encrypt any result from executing the command portion prior to returning the result to the requesting host, and an input/output interface for I/O data units supporting multiple hosts.