Security Processor Boot Authentication for Legacy Compute Components
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing compute systems face challenges in securely booting components due to the need for complex cryptographic mechanisms on each component, which increases cost, complexity, and security risks from multiple access points, especially in components lacking suitable architecture.
Innovation Solution
A centralized security processor is used to authenticate machine readable instructions before execution, reducing cryptographic capabilities across components and using dual communication links to manage secure boot processes, allowing legacy components to be upgraded without additional cryptographic integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cryptographic mechanisms are implemented on each component for secure boot, then security is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cryptographic authentication functionality from individual components and consolidates it into a dedicated security processor. This centralizes the complex cryptographic mechanisms (asymmetric key exchange, encrypted certificate exchange, hash verification) in a single specialized component, allowing legacy components to remain simple while still achieving secure boot through the centralized security processor's authentication of machine readable instructions.
Solution Approach 2:
The security processor acts as an intermediary between the machine readable instructions and the components. It performs cryptographic authentication of the instructions before they are loaded by components, mediating the security function without requiring cryptographic capabilities in the components themselves. This allows secure boot while keeping components simple.
2Reliability
If cryptographic mechanisms are implemented on each component for secure boot, then security is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the expensive cryptographic authentication functionality from every component and consolidates it into a single security processor. This eliminates the need for costly cryptographic certifications and implementations in multiple components, reducing overall system cost while maintaining security through centralized authentication of machine readable instructions.
3Reliability
If cryptographic mechanisms are implemented on each component for secure boot, then security is improved, but the risk of compromising security data increases due to multiple access points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts all cryptographic security data (private keys, encrypted information, security mechanisms) from multiple components and consolidates them into a single centralized security processor. This creates a single access point for security data, reducing the attack surface and risk of compromise compared to having security data distributed across numerous components.
4Reliability
If cryptographic mechanisms are implemented on each component for secure boot, then security is improved, but legacy components without proper architecture cannot be upgraded
Solution Approach 1:
The security processor serves as an intermediary that provides cryptographic authentication services to all components, including legacy components without native cryptographic capabilities. The security processor handles all cryptographic operations and communicates with legacy components through simple interfaces, enabling secure boot for components that lack the architectural complexity to implement cryptography themselves.
Data Source
AI summary
A compute system includes a security processor, a component, a component memory, a first communication link, and a second communication link. The component memory stores machine readable instructions executable by the component. The first communication link communicatively couples the component memory to the security processor. The second communication link communicatively couples the component memory to the component. The security processor is to cryptographically authenticate the machine readable instructions stored in the component memory in a boot process.