Security Processor for Secure Wake-on-Event in Multi-Core Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
In distributed systems, especially large multi-core processors, wireless and wired communication processors are unprotected, leading to potential attacks that deny extended sleep modes, causing unnecessary power drain and exposing the platform to denial-of-service and invasive attacks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a security mechanism that includes a communication processor with a security processor to verify the freshness and identity of incoming protocol messages by adding an encrypted 'Identity-Context' message to standard network protocols, using cryptographic primitives like AES and SHA256, and performing out-of-band identity exchanges via trusted channels, ensuring secure wake-up events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If Wake-on-Event and Wake-on-packet-type are implemented to allow communication processors to wake up host processors, then system responsiveness and communication capability are improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to unauthorized attacks and power drain from malicious wake-up triggers
Solution Approach 1:
A security processor is introduced as an intermediary component between the communication processor and host processor. The security processor verifies the authenticity and freshness of wake-up packets using cryptographic primitives (AES, SHA256) before allowing the host processor to wake up, thereby blocking unauthorized wake-up attempts while preserving legitimate communication functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary security verification of wake-up packets before triggering host processor wake-up. The security processor checks cryptographic credentials and freshness indicators in advance, ensuring that only authenticated and timely wake-up requests are processed, preventing both unauthorized attacks and unnecessary power consumption
2Reliability
If security verification mechanisms are added to protect communication processors, then system security against attacks is improved, but device complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The security verification function is segmented into a separate security processor that operates independently from the main communication processor. This modular approach allows security operations to be performed in parallel, reducing the processing burden on the communication processor while maintaining comprehensive security verification
Solution Approach 2:
The security processor autonomously handles verification of wake-up packets using pre-configured cryptographic credentials and freshness indicators. The system performs self-verification without requiring external authentication services, reducing system complexity while maintaining security
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus that establish secure communications between two stations. The apparatus includes a low power communication processor and a host processor in a sleep mode. The low power communication processor receives a protocol message to initiate a communication. The protocol message includes an encrypted cryptographic identity token and triggers a wake-up event in order to wake up the host processor according to a result of identity a freshness checks performed by the low power communication processor.