Apparatus and Method for Accessing an Encrypted Memory Portion

An apparatus for accessing an encrypted memory portion of a memory, comprising:

• a plurality of signature generators, wherein each signature generator of the plurality of signature generators is configured to generate a signature of a plurality of signatures depending on an instruction of a plurality of instructions, wherein each of the plurality of instructions is a processor instruction for controlling a processor;
• a key modifier for generating a processed key depending on a standard key and on the plurality of signatures;
• and
• a memory access controller for accessing the encrypted memory portion of the memory, wherein the memory access controller is configured to employ the processed key to access the encrypted memory portion of the memory;
• wherein the plurality of instructions comprises a first group of instructions and a second group of instructions,
• wherein the plurality of signature generators comprises a first group of signature generators and a second group of signature generators,
• wherein the plurality of signatures being generated by the plurality of signature generators comprises a first group of signatures and a second group of signatures,
• wherein each signature generator of the first group of signature generators is configured to generate a signature of the first group of signatures depending on an instruction of the first group of instructions being stored in a slave pipeline,
• wherein each signature generator of the second group of signature generators is configured to generate a signature of the second group of signatures depending on an instruction of the second group of instructions being stored in a master pipeline,
• wherein the key modifier comprises a plurality of XOR operation modules,
• wherein each XOR operation module of the plurality of XOR operation modules is configured to conduct a first XOR operation on a first operand and on a second operand to generate a third operand, and is configured to conduct a second XOR operation on the third operand and on a fourth operand to generate an intermediate key of a plurality of intermediate keys,
• wherein the first operand is one of the signatures of the first group of signatures, wherein the second operand is the standard key or a further intermediate key of the plurality of intermediate keys, wherein the fourth operand is one of the signatures of the second group of signatures, and
• wherein one of the plurality of intermediate keys is the processed key.

A method for accessing an encrypted memory portion of a memory, wherein the method comprises:

• generating a plurality of signatures depending on an instruction of a plurality of instructions, wherein each of the plurality of instructions is a processor instruction for controlling a processor;
• generating a processed key depending on a standard key and on the plurality of signatures;
• and
• accessing the encrypted memory portion of the memory, wherein the processed key is employed to access the encrypted memory portion of the memory.