Protection of keys and sensitive data from attack within microprocessor architecture

A system comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor core that is coupled to the memory, wherein the processor core is to execute a first instruction in response to initialization of a software program that requests access to protected data output by a cryptographic operation, wherein to execute the first instruction, the processor core is to:
• retrieve a key that is to be used by the cryptographic operation;
• generate an authorization token with use of a random number generator;
• encrypt the key and the authorization token within a key handle;
• store the key handle in the memory;
• and
• embed the authorization token within a cryptographic instruction that is to perform the cryptographic operation, the cryptographic instruction associated with a first logical compartment of the software program that is authorized access to the protected data;
• and
• wherein the processor core is further to, in response to execution of the cryptographic instruction within a first thread, perform the cryptographic operation to:
• encrypt plaintext intermediate data that contains sensitive data to generate encrypted data;
• and
• write the encrypted data to the memory to protect the sensitive data from access by at least a second thread currently in execution by the processor core.

A method comprising:

• retrieving, by a processor core in response to initialization of a software program that requests access to protected data output by a cryptographic operation, a key that is to be used by the cryptographic operation;
• cryptographically encoding, by the processor core, the key and a fixed code location within a key handle, wherein the fixed code location is a location in memory from which a cryptographic instruction is to execute to perform the cryptographic operation, wherein the cryptographic instruction is associated with a first logical compartment of the software program;
• and
• storing, by the processor core, the key handle in memory for use during execution of the cryptographic operation.