Method and apparatus for establishing safe processor operating points
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsStephen Fischer, Varghese George, Sanjeev Jahagirdar, Stephen Gunther
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method is provided for establishing safe processor operating points. Some embodiments may include a tamper resistant storage element that stores information regarding one or more operating points of an adjustable processor operating parameter. Some embodiments may further include an element to determine what the current processor operating point is of the operating parameter, and an element to compare the current operating point of the operating parameter with the stored information.
Claims31
A system comprising:
- a tamper resistant storage element to store information regarding one or more operating points of an adjustable operating parameter for a processor;
- an element to determine what the current processor operating point is of the operating parameter;
- and
- an element to compare the current operating point with the stored information.
A processor comprising:
- an element to determine in connection with a secure boot of the processor what the operating point is of an adjustable operating parameter of the processor;
- a controller to adjust the processor's operating point for the operating parameter;
- and
- a comparator to compare the current operating point of the operating parameter with information stored in a tamper resistant storage in connection with the secure boot.
A system comprising:
- a plurality of processors, wherein each processor is to indicate that the processor has been securely booted only if any processor adjustable operating parameter that affects reliable processor operation is at an acceptable operating point;
- and
- a master processor to indicate to the plurality of processors that the system is permitted to proceed with a secure boot only if each of the plurality of processors have indicated that it has an acceptable operating point.
A method comprising:
- determining in connection with a secure boot of a processor what a first operating point is of a processor operating parameter;
- determining if the first operating point for this operating parameter is acceptable by comparing the first operating point with information that is stored in the processor in a tamper resistant storage element;
- and
- enabling the processor to proceed with the secure boot only if the first operating point was determined to be acceptable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.