US 11,328,066 B2 · Method and system for securely patching read-only-memory code

Abstract

A secure read-only-memory (ROM) code patching system includes a processor that is configured to generate first partial cryptographic data based on a ROM patch and a set of secret bits, and authenticate the ROM patch based on a match between the first partial cryptographic data and reference partial cryptographic data of the ROM patch. Upon the authentication of the ROM patch, the processor is further configured to generate an address associated with a set of ROM instructions of a ROM code. Based on a match between the generated address and a ROM patch address of the ROM patch, the processor is further configured to execute a set of patch instructions of the ROM patch that is successfully authenticated instead of the set of ROM instructions, thereby securely patching the ROM code.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for securely patching a read-only-memory (ROM) code, the system comprising:

a processor configured to:
generate first partial cryptographic data based on a ROM patch and a set of secret bits, wherein the ROM patch includes a set of address bits, a set of reference bits, and a set of data bits that are indicative of a ROM patch address, reference partial cryptographic data, and a set of patch instructions, respectively;
authenticate the ROM patch based on a match between the first partial cryptographic data and the reference partial cryptographic data;
generate, upon the authentication of the ROM patch, a first address that is associated with a first set of ROM instructions of a plurality of ROM instructions of the ROM code;
and
execute the set of patch instructions of the ROM patch that is successfully authenticated instead of the first set of ROM instructions when the first address matches the ROM patch address, thereby securely patching the ROM code.

3 more elements

A method for securely patching a read-only-memory (ROM) code stored in a ROM of a system-on-chip (SoC) by a processor of the SoC, the method comprising:

generating first partial cryptographic data based on a ROM patch and a set of secret bits, wherein the ROM patch includes a set of address bits, a set of reference bits, and a set of data bits that are indicative of a ROM patch address, reference partial cryptographic data, and a set of patch instructions, respectively;
authenticating the ROM patch based on a match between the first partial cryptographic data and the reference partial cryptographic data;
generating, upon the authentication of the ROM patch, a first address that is associated with a first set of ROM instructions of a plurality of ROM instructions of the ROM code;
and
executing the set of patch instructions of the ROM patch that is successfully authenticated instead of the first set of ROM instructions when the first address matches the ROM patch address, thereby securely patching the ROM code.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for securely patching read-only-memory code

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Method and system for securely patching read-only-memory code

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20