# US 2020/0287902 A1 · Secure interface control secure storage hardware tagging > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0287902 A1 - Document ID: US20200287902A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/296,450 - Filed: 2019-03-08 - Published: 2020-09-10 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-08 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Lisa Cranton Heller; Fadi Y. Busaba; Jonathan D. Bradbury - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200287902A1 ## CPC - G06F 12/1416: {by checking the object accessibility, e.g. type of access defined by the memory independently of subject rights (G06F12/1458 takes precedence)} - H04L 63/10: {for controlling access to devices or network resources} - G06F 9/45558: {Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects} - G06F 12/1009: using page tables, e.g. page table structures - G06F 12/1036: for multiple virtual address spaces, e.g. segmentation (G06F12/1045 takes precedence) - G06F 12/109: for multiple virtual address spaces, e.g. segmentation (G06F12/1036 takes precedence) - G06F 12/1441: {for a range} - G06F 12/145: {the protection being virtual, e.g. for virtual blocks or segments before a translation mechanism} - G06F 12/1475: {in a virtual system, e.g. with translation means} - G06F 2009/45579: {I/O management, e.g. providing access to device drivers or storage} - G06F 2009/45583: {Memory management, e.g. access or allocation} - G06F 2009/45587: {Isolation or security of virtual machine instances} - G06F 2212/1052: Security improvement - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A method is provided. A secure interface control in communication with an untrusted entity perform the method. In this regard, the secure interface control implements an initialization instruction to set donated storage as secure. The implementing of the initialization instruction is responsive to an instruction call issued from the untrusted entity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: implementing, by a secure interface control in communication with an untrusted entity, an initialization instruction to set donated storage as secure, the implementing of the initialization instruction being responsive to an instruction call issued from the untrusted entity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the implementing of the initialization instruction causes the secure interface control to assign a portion of the donated storage as zone-specific storage and tag the zone-specific storage with a unique-secure domain. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the implementing of the initialization instruction causes the secure interface control to assign a portion of the donated storage as secure guest-domain-specific storage and tag the secure-guest-domain-specific storage as belonging to the secure interface control and qualified with the associated secure-guest-domain. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the implementing of the initialization instruction causes the secure interface control to verify the donated storage as non-secure and set the donated storage as secure storage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the implementing of the initialization instruction causes the secure interface control to assign a portion of the donated storage to be defined as absolute storage and tag this portion of the donated storage as having no associated virtual address. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the implementing of the initialization instruction causes the secure interface control to assign a portion of the donated storage to be defined as virtual storage and tag this portion of the donated storage with an associated virtual address. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the method further comprising: implementing, by the secure interface control, an initialize secure interface control instruction that registers the donated storage to the secure interface control, marks the donated storage as secure, and causes the secure interface control to tag the donated storage with a unique-secure domain, the implementing of the initialize secure interface control instruction being responsive to a second instruction call issued from the untrusted entity. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the method further comprising: implementing, by the secure interface control, a create configuration instruction that registers the donated storage to the secure interface control, marks the donated storage as secure, and causes the secure interface control to tag the donated storage as belonging to the secure interface control, the implementing of the create configuration instruction being responsive to a second instruction call issued from the untrusted entity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the method further comprising: implementing, by the secure interface control, a create central processing unit (CPU) instruction that registers the donated storage to the secure interface control, marks the donated storage as secure, and causes the secure interface control to tag the donated storage as belonging to the secure interface control and qualified with associated secure-guest-domain, the implementing of the create configuration instruction being responsive to a second instruction call issued from the untrusted entity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the donated storage comprises all secure interface control storage donated by the untrusted entity. ### Claim 11 A computer program product of claim comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause operations comprising: implementing, by a secure interface control in communication with an untrusted entity, an initialization instruction to set donated storage as secure, the implementing of the initialization instruction being responsive to an instruction call issued from the untrusted entity. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the implementing of the initialization instruction causes the secure interface control to assign a portion of the donated storage as zone-specific storage and tag the zone-specific storage with a unique-secure domain. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the implementing of the initialization instruction causes the secure interface control to assign a portion of the donated storage as secure guest-domain-specific storage and tag the secure-guest-domain-specific storage as belonging to the secure interface control and qualified with the associated secure-guest-domain. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the implementing of the initialization instruction causes the secure interface control to verify the donated storage as non-secure and set the donated storage as secure storage. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the implementing of the initialization instruction causes the secure interface control to assign a portion of the donated storage to be defined as absolute storage and tag this portion of the donated storage as having no associated virtual address. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the implementing of the initialization instruction causes the secure interface control to assign a portion of the donated storage to be defined as virtual storage and tag this portion of the donated storage with an associated virtual address. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, the method further comprising: implementing, by the secure interface control, an initialize secure interface control instruction that registers the donated storage to the secure interface control, the donated storage as secure, and causes the secure interface control to tag the donated storage with a unique-secure domain, the implementing of the initialize secure interface control instruction being responsive to a second instruction call issued from the untrusted marks entity. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, the method further comprising: implementing, by the secure interface control, a create configuration instruction that registers the donated storage to the secure interface control, marks the donated storage as secure, and causes the secure interface control to tag the donated storage as belonging to the secure interface control, the implementing of the create configuration instruction being responsive to a second instruction call issued from the untrusted entity. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The computer program product of claim 11, the method further comprising: implementing, by the secure interface control, a create central processing unit (CPU) instruction that registers the donated storage to the secure interface control, marks the donated storage as secure, and causes the secure interface control to tag the donated storage as belonging to the secure interface control and qualified with associated secure-guest-domain, the implementing of the create configuration instruction being responsive to a second instruction call issued from the untrusted entity. ### Claim 20 A system comprising: a secure interface control in communication with an untrusted entity, wherein the system is configured to perform the operations of: implementing, by the secure interface control, an initialization instruction to set donated storage as secure, the implementing of the initialization instruction being responsive to an instruction call issued from the untrusted entity. ### Claim 21 A method comprising: implementing, by a secure interface control in communication with an untrusted entity, an initialize secure interface control instruction that registers donated storage to the secure interface control and marks the donated storage as secure, the implementing of the initialize secure interface control instruction being responsive to a first instruction call issued from the untrusted entity; implementing, by the secure interface control, a create secure configuration instruction that registers the donated storage to the secure interface control and marks the donated storage as secure, the implementing of the create secure configuration instruction being responsive to a second instruction call issued from the untrusted entity; and implementing, by the secure interface control, a create secure central processing unit (CPU) instruction that registers the donated storage to the secure interface control and marks the donated storage as secure, the implementing of the create secure CPU instruction being responsive to a third instruction call issued from the untrusted entity. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the implementing of the initialize secure interface control instruction causes the secure interface control to assign the donated storage as zone-specific storage and tag the zone-specific storage with a unique-secure domain, wherein the implementing of the create secure configuration instruction causes the secure interface control to assign donated base-secure-configuration and variable-secure-configuration storage as secure guest-domain-specific storage and tag the secure guest-domain-specific storage as belonging to the secure interface control and qualified with the associated secure-guest-domain, or wherein the implementing of the create secure CPU instruction causes the secure interface control to assign donated base-secure-CPU storage as secure guest-domain-specific storage and tag the secure guest-domain-specific storage as belonging to the secure interface control and qualified with the associated secure-guest-domain. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the donated zone-specific storage, the base-secure-configuration storage, or the base-CPU storage is defined as absolute storage and tagged as having no associated virtual address, and wherein the donated variable-secure-configuration storage is defined as virtual storage and tagged with the associated virtual address. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the implementing of the initialize secure interface control, the create secure configuration, or the create secure CPU instructions cause the secure interface control to verify donated storage as non-secure and set the donated storage as secure. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the donated storage comprises all secure interface control storage donated by the untrusted entity.