Combination boot for an integrated circuit
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorsBarak Wasserstrom, Ori Cohen, Andrew Robert Sinton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A boot process for a computing device, such as integrated circuit, includes security features that are inaccessible during certain operation modes. An image including permission to access those security features is received during the boot process and may be verified using one or more keys. In operation, access to the security features is permitted during the operation modes after the image is verified. Such an approach enables a boot process to permit access to certain features after receipt and verification of different images.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a system on chip (SoC) device;
- an input/output device to receive a boot signal, the boot signal including instructions for configuring an operational mode of the SoC device;
- and
- a boot manager including logic to cause the SoC device to:
- receive a first boot image including instructions to restrict access to a set of security features of the SoC device;
- configure the SoC device to operate using a first configuration based on the first boot image restricting access to each security feature of the set of security features;
- receive a second boot image including instructions to permit access to an identified security feature of the set of security features of the SoC device;
- determine the second boot image is a verified image, the second boot image including a key verified by a stored key on the SoC device;
- and
- in response to verifying the second boot image, configure the SoC device to operate using a second configuration based on the first boot image and second boot image, the second configuration permitting access to the identified security feature and maintaining restricted access to the remaining security features of the set of security features associated with the first configuration.
A computer-implemented method, comprising:
- executing a portion of a boot process of an integrated circuit, the boot process including instructions to block access to one or more security features;
- receiving a signed image corresponding to a task associated with an identified security feature of the one or more security features;
- determining the signed image is a verified image;
- and
- in response to determining the signed image is a verified image, operating the integrated circuit using a configuration to permit access to the identified security feature and to block access to the remaining one or more security features.
A computer-implemented method, comprising:
- executing a portion of a boot process of an integrated circuit, the boot process to block access to one or more security features, wherein the integrated circuit is a system on chip (SoC) device;
- receiving a signed image corresponding to a task associated with an identified security feature of the one or more security features;
- determining the signed image is a verified image;
- and
- operating the integrated circuit using a configuration to permit access to the identified security feature and to block access to the remaining one or more security features.
An integrated circuit (IC) device, comprising:
- a substrate supporting interconnected electronic components;
- an input/output device mounted on the substrate to receive a boot signal;
- and
- a boot manager including logic to cause a first portion of a boot process to execute to block access to a set of security features, to verify a signature of an image corresponding to instructions to permit access to an identified security feature of the set of security features, and to configure the integrated circuit device to permit access to the identified security feature and to continue blocking access to the remaining set of security features.
An integrated circuit (IC) device, wherein the integrated circuit is a system on chip (SoC) device, comprising:
- a substrate supporting interconnected electronic components;
- an input/output device mounted on the substrate to receive a boot signal;
- and
- a boot manager including logic to cause a first portion of a boot process to execute, to verify a signature of an image corresponding to instructions to permit access to an identified security feature, and to configure the integrated circuit device to permit access to the identified security feature and to block access to one or more additional security features of the boot process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.