Back to results
US 2008/0175381 A1Published application
E-fuses for storing security version data
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsRobert A. Drehmel, William E. Hall, Russell D. Hoover
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and devices that may be utilized in systems to dynamically update a security version parameter used to encrypt secure data are provided. The version may be maintained in persistent storage located on a device implementing the encryption, such as a system on a chip (SOC). The persistent storage does not require battery backing and, thus, the cost and complexity associated with conventional systems utilizing battery backed storage may be reduced.
Claims8
A device for encrypting blocks of data to be stored in memory external to the device, comprising:
- first persistent storage elements for storing a security version parameter;
- second persistent storage elements for storing master key data;
- an encryption engine configured to encrypt secure blocks of data to be stored in the external memory, wherein at least one of:
- the encrypted secure blocks or an integrity check value generated therefore are affected by the security version parameter;
- and
- a mechanism for modifying the first persistent storage elements to update the security version parameter without modifying previously modified first persistent storage elements.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.