Secure processor-based system and method

A processor-based electronic device, comprising:

• a central processing unit (“CPU”);
• a system memory device coupled to the CPU;
• a decryption engine coupled to the CPU, the decryption engine being operable to perform a decrypting function;
• an integrated circuit package housing the CPU, the system memory device and the decryption engine;
• and
• program instructions or data, the program instructions or data being stored in a non-volatile memory device in encrypted form that is external to the integrated circuit package and that is coupled to the decryption engine, the encrypted program instructions or data being decrypted by the decryption engine to allow the CPU to execute program instructions or to operate on the data in unencrypted form, the decrypted instructions or decrypted data being stored in the system memory device during the execution of the instructions or during operating on the data.

A method of securely executing a computer program in a processor-based electronic device having a central processing unit “CPU”), a system memory, and an external interface circuit, the method comprising:

• encrypting program instructions or data to provide encrypted program instructions or data respectively;
• coupling the encrypted program instructions or encrypted data to the external interface device;
• decrypting the program instructions or data to provide decrypted program instructions or data respectively, after the encrypted program instructions or data has been coupled to the external interface device, the program instructions or data being shielded from access after being decrypted;
• executing the decrypted program instructions using the CPU;
• and
• during the execution of the program instructions, coupling data between the CPU and the system memory, the data being shielded from access while being coupled between the CPU and the system memory, the CPU and system memory being packaged in the same integrated circuit package.