Secure Memory Access Unit Tagging Paged Memory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory management systems face challenges in providing secure access to system memory while maintaining low latency, particularly in applications like set-top boxes that require stringent security and performance, as they often rely on the operating system for access control, leading to latency issues.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a secure memory access unit with an independent trusted client that assigns tags to memory pages to manage access permissions independently of the operating system, allowing for real-time access and fine-tuning security through additional access parameters, enabling secure and low-latency access to paged memory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the operating system controls access to system memory, then security management is simplified, but access latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments memory access control by introducing an independent trusted client that operates separately from the operating system. This trusted client directly manages memory page tags and access permissions, bypassing the OS control path that causes latency. The segmentation separates security-critical memory access from general OS management, allowing time-sensitive operations to proceed without OS intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The trusted client acts as an intermediary between untrusted software clients and the memory system. It mediates access requests by checking tags on memory pages and enforcing security policies without requiring OS involvement. This intermediary approach maintains security while eliminating the latency introduced by OS-mediated access control.
2Loss of time
If independent trusted client with tags is implemented, then memory access latency is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of memory page identification by adding tags to memory pages. These tags encode security attributes and access permissions directly in the memory page metadata. By changing how memory pages are parameterized and identified, the system enables fast security checks through tag comparison rather than complex OS-mediated permission verification, reducing latency while managing complexity through structured data representation.
Data Source
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AI summary
Solutions that can provide secure access to memory. Some solutions assign tags to pages of memory and ensure secure access to each page of memory by ensuring that a client seeking to access a tagged page of memory is authorized to access pages marked by that tag.