Security Processor Memory Segmentation for Debugging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face challenges in securely accessing and analyzing user data during debugging operations, as they often mix security and non-security data, risking unauthorized access to sensitive information during memory dump operations.
Innovation Solution
A security processor is designed to authenticate users and authorize access to encrypted user data, using a key generator to encrypt data and a security manager to determine access permissions, ensuring only authorized personnel can access sensitive information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If memory dump operation is performed on security data to detect failure cause, then diagnostic capability is improved, but data security is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The memory space is segmented into secure area and non-secure area. The secure area stores security data that requires authentication for access, while the non-secure area stores normal data that can be freely accessed during debugging. This segmentation allows the debugger to access normal data for failure analysis without exposing security data, thus resolving the contradiction between diagnostic capability and data security.
Solution Approach 2:
A security processor acts as an intermediary between the debugger and the memory system. It controls access to the secure area by authenticating the debugger's credentials. When authentication succeeds, the security processor enables the debugger to access the secure area; otherwise, access is denied. This intermediary mechanism allows selective access that balances diagnostic needs with security requirements.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If security data is separated from normal data, then data security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The security processor performs multiple functions: it manages the segmentation of memory into secure and non-secure areas, controls access to the secure area through authentication, and manages the storage and verification of credential data. By consolidating these security-related functions into a single multi-functional processor, the system achieves enhanced security without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A security processor includes a key generator circuit configured to randomly generate a key, an encryption circuit configured to encrypt user data based on the key, and a security manager circuit configured to receive a first user identification (ID), which uniquely corresponds to a user of a device, and determine whether to allow access to the user data by authenticating the first user ID.