Controlling update of content of a programmable read-only memory

A system comprising:

• a programmable read-only memory;
• a security module comprising a central processing unit to detect a security status associated with the system and to provide security status information based on the detected security status, wherein detection of the security status is based on a type of software executing in the system, wherein the security module is configured to set the security status to a secure mode in response to the security module detecting that the type of software includes firmware instructions executing in the system, wherein the security module is configured to change the security status to a non-secure mode in response to the security module detecting that the type of software includes operating system instructions executing in the system;
• and
• a control device to enable a write to the programmable read-only memory in response to the security status information indicating the secure mode, and
• the control device to disable a write to the programmable read-only memory in response to the security status information indicating the non-secure mode.

An article comprising at least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium containing instructions that when executed cause a system to:

• determine a security status associated with the system, the security status being one of a secure mode and a non-secure mode, wherein determining the security status associated with the system comprises determining the security status by a security module that monitors a type of software executing in the system, wherein the security module sets the security status to the secure mode in response to the security module detecting that the type of software includes firmware instructions executing in the system, wherein the security module changes the security status to the non-secure mode in response to the security module detecting that the type of software includes operating system instructions executing in the system;
• in response to determining that the security status is the secure mode, set security status information to indicate the secure mode for enabling an update of firmware instructions in a programmable read-only memory;
• and
• in response to determining that the security status is the non-secure mode, set the security status information to indicate the non-secure mode for disabling the update of firmware instructions in the programmable read-only memory.

A system comprising:

• a programmable read-only memory;
• processor means for determining a security status associated with the system, the security status being one of a secure mode and a non-secure mode, wherein determining the security status associated with the system comprises determining the security status by a security module that monitors a type of software executing in the system, wherein the security module sets the security status to the secure mode in response to the security module detecting that the type of software includes firmware instructions executing in the system, wherein the security module changes the security status to the non-secure mode in response to the security module detecting that the type of software includes operating system instructions executing in the system;
• means responsive to detecting that the system is in the secure mode for enabling an update of firmware instructions in the programmable read-only memory;
• and
• means responsive to detecting that the security status is in the non-secure mode for disabling the update of the firmware instructions in the programmable read-only memory.