Secure read and write access to configuration registers in computer devices
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsJaideep Dastidar, Joshua Wyde
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosed embodiments relate to a secure configuration space for a computing device. Each of the configuration resisters in a configuration space are divided into security bits and configuration data bits. The security bits are assigned a predetermined value. When reading from or writing to a given configuration register, the data in the bit positions corresponding to security bits must match the predetermined values or read/write access is denied.
Claims22
A configuration register, comprising:
- at least one security bit disposed at a predetermined bit position within the configuration register, the at least one security bit having a predetermined value;
- at least one configuration data bit;
- and
- wherein write access to the configuration register is granted in response to the receipt of data that matches the predetermined value in the predetermined bit position.
A configuration register, comprising:
- at least one security bit disposed at a predetermined bit position within the configuration register, the at least one security bit having a predetermined value;
- at least one configuration data bit;
- and
- wherein data read from the configuration register is rearranged in a predetermined pattern based on the predetermined value.
A computer system, comprising:
- a processor;
- a hard drive adapted to store data and to be accessible by the processor;
- a video graphics controller adapted to connect to a display;
- system random access memory adapted to be accessible by the processor;
- and
- a configuration register adapted to be accessed by the processor, the configuration register comprising:
- at least one security bit disposed at a predetermined bit position within the configuration register, the at least one security bit having a predetermined value;
- at least one configuration data bit;
- and
- wherein write access to the configuration register is granted in response to the receipt of data that matches the predetermined value in the predetermined bit position.
A computer system, comprising:
- a processor;
- a hard drive adapted to store data and to be accessible by the processor;
- a video graphics controller adapted to connect to a display;
- system random access memory adapted to be accessible by the processor;
- and
- a configuration register adapted to be accessed by the processor, the configuration register comprising:
- at least one security bit disposed at a predetermined bit position within the configuration register, the at least one security bit having a predetermined value;
- at least one configuration data bit;
- and
- wherein data read from the configuration register is rearranged in a predetermined pattern based on the predetermined value.
A method of gaining write access to a configuration register in a computing device, the configuration register having at least one security bit disposed in a predetermined bit position within the configuration register, the at least one security bit having a predetermined value, the method comprising the acts of:
- configuring write data to be written to the configuration register so that a data bit in the predetermined bit position of the write data is set to the predetermined value;
- writing the write data to the configuration register.
A method of gaining read access to a configuration register in a computing device, the configuration register having at least one security bit disposed in a predetermined bit position within the configuration register, the at least one security bit having a predetermined value, the method comprising the acts of:
- receiving a read request for data stored in the configuration register;
- creating rearranged configuration data by rearranging data stored in the configuration register in a predetermined pattern based on the predetermined value;
- and
- sending the rearranged configuration data responsive to the read request.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.