Tuesday, May 27, 2003
ARM Builds Security Options into Chips
Posted by Jason Dunn in "NEWS" @ 04:34 PM
"Chip designer ARM will add extensions to its processor core next year that incorporate hardware-based security technologies. Future versions of the company's ARM core for mobile and wireless handset chips will contain protected areas for storage of user authentication keys, plus areas of the processor that are off-limits to unauthorized users, said Mary Inglis, director of operating systems and alliances for ARM...
...ARM is adding what it calls an S-bit (for security) to the sixth version of its architecture. The S-bit is applied to code that needs to be secure, and a separate portion of an ARM processor monitors and identifies data tagged with an S-bit. That data is run separately from nonsecure data through the processor. Security extensions are also added to the level-1 memory system. Most processors have a small amount of memory in a cache close to the CPU that is used to store frequently accessed instructions. These memory-level extensions can recognize the S-bit and control the flow of secure and nonsecure data from the memory cache to the CPU. The operating system on a TrustZone device will also boot from the secure portion of the processor, checking to make sure everything is safe within the operating system and the applications before booting the entire device."
Security, security, security. I don't know about you, but I'd settle for speed, stability, and ease of use. Security isn't a huge concern with my devices at the moment - between basic password authentication and applications like FlexWallet, I feel my data is secure on my Pocket PC. What about you? How important is hardware-level security to you?
...ARM is adding what it calls an S-bit (for security) to the sixth version of its architecture. The S-bit is applied to code that needs to be secure, and a separate portion of an ARM processor monitors and identifies data tagged with an S-bit. That data is run separately from nonsecure data through the processor. Security extensions are also added to the level-1 memory system. Most processors have a small amount of memory in a cache close to the CPU that is used to store frequently accessed instructions. These memory-level extensions can recognize the S-bit and control the flow of secure and nonsecure data from the memory cache to the CPU. The operating system on a TrustZone device will also boot from the secure portion of the processor, checking to make sure everything is safe within the operating system and the applications before booting the entire device."
Security, security, security. I don't know about you, but I'd settle for speed, stability, and ease of use. Security isn't a huge concern with my devices at the moment - between basic password authentication and applications like FlexWallet, I feel my data is secure on my Pocket PC. What about you? How important is hardware-level security to you?
