Secure Reduced Power Mode Memory Offloading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reduced power modes in computing devices, which offload memory contents to non-volatile memory, create security vulnerabilities as attackers can modify these contents, and existing solutions that encrypt memory using user credentials prolong resume times.
Innovation Solution
A computing device initiates restoring encrypted memory pages before user authentication, using a cryptographic key not derived from user credentials for offloaded memory pages, and decrypts them early in the resume process, while presenting a user authentication prompt later.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If memory contents are encrypted using a key protected by user credential before offloading to non-volatile memory, then security is improved, but resume time is increased because decryption cannot occur until user credential is obtained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by initiating the decryption and restoration of encrypted memory pages to volatile memory before the user authentication prompt is presented. The system uses a cryptographic key not derived from user credentials to decrypt memory pages during the resume process, rather than waiting for user authentication. This allows the decryption operation to be performed in advance, reducing the overall resume time while maintaining security through subsequent user credential verification for other data access.
2Use of energy by stationary object
If volatile memory is powered off in reduced power mode, then power consumption is reduced, but security vulnerability increases because memory contents must be offloaded to non-volatile memory where they can be modified by attackers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by encrypting memory pages with a cryptographic key before offloading them to non-volatile memory in reduced power mode. This encryption creates a protective barrier against potential attacks on the stored memory contents. Additionally, the system restores and decrypts these encrypted memory pages to volatile memory during the resume process before presenting the user authentication prompt, ensuring that sensitive data is in decrypted form only temporarily and under controlled conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed relating to maintaining device security associated with reduced power modes. In some embodiments, a computing device receives a request to place the computing device in a reduced power mode in which a first memory of the computing device is powered off. Based on the request, the computing device offloads a memory page from the first memory to a second memory such that the offloading includes encrypting the memory page. Based on a request to resume from the reduced power mode, the computing device restores the memory page from the second memory to the first memory such that the restoring includes decrypting the encrypted memory page. After initiating the restoring, the computing device presents a user authentication prompt asking for a user credential.