Method and Apparatus for Secure Hardware Analysis
AssigneeTelefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
InventorsChristian Gehrmann, Kent Damberg, Bernard Smeets
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A Hardware Analysis Module (“HAM”) embedded in an integrated circuit (IC) implements a dedicated hardware-controlled access control procedure. The secure hardware analysis features are unlocked by a key unit subject to successful completion of an access control procedure. The access control procedure prevents unlocking of the secure hardware analysis features by an unauthorized or compromised key unit by including an embedded control command in an authentication challenge sent by the HAM to the key unit during the access control procedure.
Claims16
An access control method of controlling access to secure hardware analysis features in an integrated circuit, said method comprising:
- generating an authentication challenge including an embedded command that when set to a predetermined value renders a key unit inoperable to unlock the secure hardware analysis features;
- sending the authentication challenge to the key unit;
- receiving a challenge response from the key unit responsive to the authentication challenge;
- and
- authenticating the key unit based on the challenge response.
A device for controlling access to secure hardware analysis features in an integrated circuit, said device comprising a secure memory for storing security parameters and a hardware analysis module with access to said secure memory to control access to said secure hardware analysis features, said hardware analysis module configured to:
- generate an authentication challenge including an embedded command that when set to a predetermined value renders a key unit inoperable to unlock the secure hardware analysis features;
- send the authentication challenge to the key unit;
- receive a challenge response from the key unit responsive to the authentication challenge;
- and
- authenticate the key unit based on the challenge response.
A method of access control implemented by a key unit used to unlock secure hardware analysis features in an integrated circuit, said method comprising:
- receiving an authentication challenge from an access control device, said authentication challenge including an embedded command;
- processing the embedded command received as part of the authentication challenge;
- and
- selectively continuing an access control procedure based on the embedded command.
A key unit for unlocking secure hardware analysis features in an integrated circuit, said key unit including a processor configured to:
- receive an authentication challenge from an access control device, said authentication challenge including an embedded command;
- process the embedded command received as part of the authentication challenge;
- and
- selectively continue an access control procedure based on the embedded command.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.