System and method for improved security for a processor in a portable computing device (PCD)

• US 10,019,602 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2014
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Kahana, Yoni, Lundblade, Laurence Geoffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Armouche, Hadi S
• Assistant Examiner(s): GAO, SHU CHUN
• Application Number:
  US14/472,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20160063281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/52 during program execution, e.g. stack integrity ; Preventing unwanted data erasure; Buffer overflow
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/71 to assure secure computing or processing of information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/76 in application-specific integrated circuits [ASIC] or field-programmable devices, e.g. field-programmable gate arrays [FPGA] or programmable logic devices [PLD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2103 Challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data

Abstract

Systems and methods for improved security for a core in a portable computing device (PCD), such as a core operating a high level operating system (HLOS) are presented. In operation, a monitor module on the SoC is initialized. The monitor module sends a request to the core of the SoC and the monitor module receives a response from the core. A timer in communication with the monitor module is checked. The timer is reset or disabled by the monitor module if the response from the core is received at the monitor module before the expiration of the timer. Otherwise, the monitor module applies at least one security measure to the core as a result of the timer expiring.

Claims

1. A method for improved security for a core on a system-on-a-chip (SoC) in a portable computing device (PCD), the method comprising:

beginning initialization of a monitor module on the SoC;

sending a request for a monitor boot code from the monitor module of the SoC to the core of the SoC, the monitor boot code configured to allow the monitor module to complete initialization;

receiving at the monitor module a response from the core;

checking by the monitor module a timer in communication with the monitor module, the timer configured to only be reset by the monitor module; and

resetting the timer with the monitor module if the response from the core includes the monitor boot code and is received at the monitor module before expiration of the timer,

applying with the monitor module at least one security measure to the core as a result of the timer expiring, wherein applying with the monitor module at least one security measure to the core as a result of the timer expiring further comprises;

applying with the monitor module at least one security measure according to a security level state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one security measure further comprises:

reinitializing the SoC as a result of the timer expiring.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one security measure further comprises one or more of:

preventing the core from accessing a set of data stored on the PCD,

preventing the core from accessing one or more of a plurality of components on the SoC, and

causing a warning to appear on a display of the PCD.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein applying with the monitor module at least one security measure to the core as a result of the timer expiring further comprises:

applying with the monitor module at least one security measure according to a number of times the timer has expired.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the core comprises a processor located on the SoC executing a high-level operating system (HLOS).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving at the monitor module a response from the core further comprises:

receiving at the monitor module information about a status for the core; and

determining at the monitor module whether the status for the core has changed since an initialization of the core.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving at the monitor module a response from the core further comprises further comprises:

receiving at the monitor module a communication sent from a computer device physically remote from the PCD.

8. A computer system for improved security for a core in a portable computing device (PCD), the system comprising:

a core on a system-on-a-chip (SoC);

a monitor module on the SoC in communication with the core; and

a timer in communication with the monitor module, the timer configured to only be reset by the monitor module,

wherein the monitor module is configured to;

send a request for monitor boot code to the core, the monitor boot code configured to allow the monitor module to complete initialization;

receive a response from the core; and

reset the timer if the response includes the monitor boot code and is received by the monitor module before expiration of the timer,

apply at least one security measure to the core as a result of the timer expiring;

apply a security measure to the core according to a security level state.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the security measure comprises:

reinitializing the SoC and the monitor module as a result of the timer expiring.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the security measure comprises at least one of:

preventing the core from accessing a set of data stored on the PCD,

preventing the core from accessing one or more of a plurality of components on the SoC, and

causing a warning to appear on a display of the PCD.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the monitor module is further configured to:

apply at least one of a plurality of security measures to the core according to a number of times the timer has expired.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the core comprises a processor located on the SoC executing a high-level operating system (HLOS); and

the monitor module comprises a virtual portion of the processor.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein receive a response from the core further comprises:

receive at the monitor module information about a status for the core; and

determine at the monitor module whether the status for the core has changed since an initialization of the core.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein receive a response from the core further comprises:

receive at the monitor module a communication from a computer device physically remote from the PCD.

15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for improved security for a core in a portable computing device (PCD), the method comprising:

beginning initialization of a monitor module on the SoC;

sending a request for a monitor boot code from the monitor module of the SoC to the core of the SoC, the monitor boot code configured to allow the monitor module to complete initialization;

receiving at the monitor module a response from the core;

checking by the monitor module a timer in communication with the monitor module, the timer configured to only be reset by the monitor module; and

resetting the timer with the monitor module if the response includes the monitor boot code and is received at the monitor module before expiration of the timer,

applying with the monitor module at least one security measure to the core as a result of the timer expiring, wherein applying with the monitor module at least one security measure to the core as a result of the timer expiring further comprises;

applying at least one security measure according to a security level state.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the at least one security measure further comprises one or more of:

reinitializing the SoC and the monitor module as a result of the timer expiring,

preventing the core from accessing a set of data stored on the PCD,

preventing the core from accessing one or more of a plurality of components on the SoC, and

causing a warning to appear on a display of the PCD.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein applying a with the monitor module at least one security measure to the core as a result of the timer expiring further comprises:

applying at least one security measure according to a number of times the timer has expired.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein:

the core comprises a processor located on the SoC executing a high-level operating system (HLOS).

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein receiving at the monitor module a response from the core further comprises:

receiving at the monitor module information about a status for the core; and

determining at the monitor module whether the status for the core has changed since an initialization of the core.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein receiving at the monitor module a response from the core further comprises:

receiving at the monitor module a communication sent from a computer device physically remote from the PCD.

21. A computer system for improved security for core in a portable computing device (PCD), the system comprising:

means for beginning initialization of a monitor module on the SoC;

means for sending a request for a monitor boot code from the monitor module of the SoC to the core of the SoC, the monitor boot code configured to allow the monitor module to compete initialization;

means for receiving at the monitor module a response from the core;

means for checking by the monitor module a timer in communication with the monitor module, the timer configured to only be reset by the monitor module; and

means for resetting the timer if the response includes the monitor boot code and is received at the monitor module before expiration of the timer,

means for applying at least one security measure to the core as a result of the timer expiring, wherein the means for applying at least one security measure to the core as a result of the timer expiring further comprises;

means for applying at least one security measure according to a security level state.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one security measure further comprises one or more of:

reinitializing the SoC and the monitor module as a result of the timer expiring,

preventing the core from accessing a set of data stored on the PCD,

preventing the core from accessing one or more of a plurality of components on the SoC, and

causing a warning to appear on a display of the PCD.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for applying at least one security measure to the core as a result of the timer expiring further comprises:

means for applying at least one security measure according to a number of times the timer has expired.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein:

the core comprises a processor located on the SoC executing a high-level operating system (HLOS).

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for receiving at the monitor module a response from the core further comprises:

means for receiving at the monitor module information about a status for the core; and

means for determining at the monitor module whether the status for the core has changed since an initialization of the core.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for means for receiving at the monitor module a response from the core further comprises:

means for receiving at the monitor module a communication sent from a computer device physically remote from the PCD.