Secure Debug Subsystem for Semiconductor Key Verification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor devices lack secure and efficient mechanisms for remote program debugging, particularly in vehicle-mounted and consumer systems, where reliability and safety are critical, and existing solutions are vulnerable to malicious access.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device with a secure subsystem and a non-secure subsystem, enabling a debug mode that requires a matching key for external debugging, ensuring secure remote debugging by controlling access through a secure boot loader, secure service, and secure debugger, and utilizing a debug bus bridge to manage debug operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If remote program debugging is enabled in semiconductor devices, then debugging capability and system reliability are improved, but security vulnerability to malicious access increases
Solution Approach 1:
A secure debugger is introduced as an intermediary component between the external debugger and the application CPU. The secure debugger verifies debug authorization information and controls the transmission of debug commands, acting as a security gatekeeper that enables debugging functionality while preventing unauthorized access to the application program
Solution Approach 2:
The debugging system is segmented into multiple independent components: a secure subsystem containing the secure debugger, a non-secure subsystem containing the application CPU, and an external debugger. This segmentation isolates the critical application program from direct external access while allowing controlled debugging operations through the secure subsystem
2Object-affected harmful factors
If security measures are implemented to prevent unauthorized debugging access, then system security is improved, but debugging operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Authorization information is verified in advance by the secure debugger before allowing any debug commands to reach the application CPU. The security check is performed preliminarily as part of the debug mode activation process, so that once authorized, debugging operations can proceed without repeated security checks, reducing operational complexity
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first system including a first operation circuit, and a second system configured to control a debug operation in the first system. The semiconductor device includes a normal mode and a debug mode. In the debug mode of the semiconductor device, in a case where a first key received from an outside corresponds to a second key stored in the second system, the second system transmits a debug command to the first operation circuit.