Secure Interrupt Routing with Domain-Aware Service Request Nodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for interrupt processing in secure domains are impacted by non-secure domains, leading to potential interference and security breaches when secure and non-secure applications share a common hardware platform.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method for interrupt processing that involves receiving an interrupt event, compiling a service request based on security information, and forwarding it to an interrupt service provider, using a security bit (CS-bit) to differentiate between secure and non-secure domains, ensuring that only authenticated master agents can configure service request nodes accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If secure and non-secure applications share a common hardware platform, then resource utilization is improved, but security isolation is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The interrupt processing system is segmented into secure and non-secure domains with separate handling paths. Service request nodes are divided into secure SRNs and non-secure SRNs, each processing interrupts from their respective domains independently, preventing cross-domain interference while maintaining shared hardware resource utilization
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary mechanism (the security bit and domain checking logic) is introduced between the interrupt source and the interrupt service provider. This intermediary verifies the security domain of both the interrupt source and the target, ensuring that only authorized interrupt routing occurs while allowing both secure and non-secure applications to coexist on the same hardware platform
2Reliability
If interrupt processing is encapsulated for secure applications, then security is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The service request node performs self-service by automatically checking the security bit and domain matching conditions internally. This self-verification mechanism encapsulates the security logic within the interrupt processing infrastructure itself, providing security enforcement without requiring complex external validation systems
Solution Approach 2:
Security checking functionality is merged into the existing interrupt processing path. The security bit check and domain verification are combined with the standard interrupt routing logic in the service request node, creating a unified processing mechanism that handles both security validation and interrupt forwarding in a single integrated operation
Data Source
AI summary
It is suggested to process an interrupt event as follows: (i) receiving an interrupt event at a service request node; (ii) providing, by the service request node, an interrupt service request based on the interrupt event, and a security information; and (iii) forwarding the interrupt service request to an interrupt service provider.