Secure Memory Diagnostics via Cryptographic Intermediary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current memory systems require physical transportation to access diagnostics data, limiting early detection and prevention of failures, as well as causing costly recalls and service interruptions due to delayed discovery of software design flaws leading to premature failures.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a security manager with cryptography in memory devices to securely store and remotely access diagnostics data through a security server, enabling periodic monitoring and alerting of potential issues before they cause system failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If physical transportation is required to access diagnostics data, then data security is maintained, but early detection and prevention of failures is limited
Solution Approach 1:
A security server acts as an intermediary between authorized users and the diagnostics data stored in the memory device. The security server receives authenticated requests, verifies credentials, and retrieves diagnostics data from the secure memory region without requiring physical access to the memory device. This enables remote monitoring and early failure detection while maintaining security through cryptographic authentication mechanisms.
2Reliability
If diagnostics data is stored in a secure memory region inaccessible to host systems, then data security is improved, but remote access capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The security server serves as a mediator that enables remote access to the secure memory region without compromising its security properties. Authorized entities can submit requests through the host system, and the security server uses cryptographic verification to access the diagnostics data in the secure region and return it to requesters, thus providing remote access while maintaining the security isolation of the memory region.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical access model with a cryptographic/digital access model. Instead of requiring physical presence at the memory device to access diagnostics data, the system uses cryptographic authentication and authorized commands transmitted through communication interfaces. This substitution enables remote access while maintaining security through mathematical rather than physical means.
3Reliability
If physical transportation is required for diagnostics data access, then security is maintained, but operational disruptions and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The security server enables continuous monitoring and access to diagnostics data without requiring the memory device to be physically transported or taken offline. Authorized users can remotely retrieve diagnostics information while the memory device continues normal operations, thereby maintaining system availability and preventing operational disruptions while security is preserved through the intermediary's cryptographic access control.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, apparatuses, and methods to secure remote collection of memory diagnostics data generated during operations of memory cells configured in a memory device connected to a host system. The diagnostics data is stored in a secure memory region within the memory device, which controls access to the secure memory region based on cryptography. After a communication connection is established, via the host system and between the memory device and a security server having a privilege to access the secure memory region, the diagnostics data can be transmitted from the memory device to the security server in an encrypted form over the communication connection.