NON-VOLATILE MEMORY OPERATIONS

• US 20140372665A1
• Filed: 06/13/2013
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Serebrin, Benjamin Charles, McCune, Jonathan M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,697,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/572 Secure firmware programming, e.g. of basic input output system [BIOS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

An apparatus includes an interface module, a controller, a key storage module, where the key storage module is configured to store a key, and a non-volatile storage module that is configured to store data. The non-volatile storage module has a first partition and a second partition, where the first partition is designated as a read-only storage area for the data and the second partition is designated as a write-only storage area for new data. The first partition is re-designated as the write-only storage area for other new data and the second partition is re-designated as the read-only storage area for the new data in response to the new data being written to the second partition with a signature and the controller verifying the signature using the key stored in the key storage module.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an interface module;

a controller that is operably coupled to the interface module;

a key storage module that is operably coupled to the controller, the key storage module being configured to store a key; and

a non-volatile storage module that is operably coupled to the controller and configured to store data, the non-volatile storage module having a first partition and a second partition, wherein;

the first partition is designated as a read-only storage area for the data,

the second partition is designated as a write-only storage area for new data received through the interface module, and

the first partition is re-designated as the write-only storage area for other new data and the second partition is re-designated as the read-only storage area for the new data in response to the new data being written to the second partition with a signature and the controller verifying the signature using the key stored in the key storage module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first partition is re-designated as the write-only storage area for other new data and the second partition is re-designated as the read-only storage area for the new data in response to receiving a complete copy of the new data with the signature and the controller verifying the signature using the key stored in the key storage module.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the new data includes a new key, the new key being stored in the key storage module and made active in response to the controller verifying the signature using the key stored in the key storage module.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the new key is stored only in the key storage module.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first partition is not re-designated as the write-only storage area for other new data and the second partition is not re-designated as the read-only storage area for the new data in response to the controller being unable to verify the signature using the key stored in the key storage module.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first partition is not re-designated as the write-only storage area for other new data and the second partition is not re-designated as the read-only storage area for the new data in response to the receiving an incomplete write of the new data through the interface module.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the new data is read from the second partition as plaintext.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first partition and the second partition are a same size.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the interface module comprises a serial interface module.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the interface module comprises a parallel interface module.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the key stored in the key storage module is a public key that corresponds to a private key used to create the signature outside of the apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the key stored in the key storage module is a shared secret key that corresponds to the shared secret key used to create the signature outside of the apparatus.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

an interface module;

a key storage module that is configured to store a key;

a controller that is operably coupled to the interface module and to the key storage module, the controller being configured to interface with an external non-volatile storage device for storing data and the controller being configured to;

partition the external non-volatile storage device into a first partition and a second partition, the first partition being designated as a read-only storage area for the data and the second partition being designated as a write-only storage area for new data received through the interface module,

receive the new data having a signature through the interface module and write the new data to the second partition,

verify the signature using the key stored in the key storage module, and

re-designate the first partition as the write-only storage area for other new data and re-designate the second partition as the read-only storage area for the new data in response to verifying the signature using the key stored in the key storage module.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the controller is configured to re-designate the first partition as the write-only storage area for other new data and re-designate the second partition as the read-only storage area for the new data in response to receiving a complete copy of the new data and in response to verifying the signature using the key stored in the key storage module.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the new data includes a new key, the new key being stored in the key storage module and made active in response to the controller verifying the signature using the key stored in the key storage module.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the new key is stored only in the key storage module.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the controller is configured to not re-designate the first partition as the write-only storage area for other new data and not re-designate the second partition as the read-only storage area for the new data in response to the controller not being able to verify the signature using the key stored in the storage module.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the controller is configured to not re-designate the first partition as the write-only storage area for the other new data and not re-designate the second partition as the read-only storage area for the new data is response to receiving an incomplete write of the new data through the interface module.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the non-volatile storage device is an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).

21. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the interface module comprises a serial interface module.

22. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the interface module comprises a parallel interface module.

23. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the key stored in the key storage module is a public key that corresponds to a private key used to create the signature outside of the apparatus.

24. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the key stored in the key storage module is a shared secret key that corresponds to the shared secret key used to create the signature outside of the apparatus.

25. A method, comprising:

partitioning a non-volatile storage device into a first partition and a second partition, the first partition being designated as a read-only storage area for data and the second partition being designated as a write-only storage area for new data received through an interface module;

receiving the new data having a signature through the interface module and writing the new data to the second partition;

verifying, by a controller, the signature with a key stored in a key storage module; and

re-designating the first partition as the write-only storage area for other new data and re-designating the second partition as the read-only storage area for the new data in response to verifying the signature with the key stored in the key storage module.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the non-volatile storage device is an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the non-volatile storage device is an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) that is external to the controller.