Resource sequester mechanism

• US 7,043,581 B1
• Filed: 05/11/2001
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Gulick, Dale E.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TIM T
• Application Number:
  US09/853,446
• Time in Patent Office: 1,824 Days
• Field of Search: 710/104, 710/240, 710/313, 713/2, 713182-189, 713/200
• US Class Current: 710/240
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/71 to assure secure computing or processing of information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/85 interconnection devices, e.g. bus-connected or in-line devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response

Abstract

A method and system for controlling access to selected resources in a computer system. The system includes a processor and a device coupled to the processor. The device includes one or more sub-devices and one or more access locks. The access locks are configured to prevent access to the sub-devices when the access locks are engaged. The device may include a bridge. The sub-devices may include a duration timer, mailbox RAM, locks for a storage device, overrides for the locks for the storage device, a TCO counter, a monotonic counter, scratchpad RAM, and/or a random number generator. The method includes unlocking security hardware and accessing a first device. The method also includes locking the security hardware and calling an SMM exit routine.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computer system in System Management Mode (SMM), the computer system including a processor coupled to a memory, to security hardware, and to a first device, the method comprising:

unlocking security hardware;

accessing the first device;

locking the security hardware; and

calling an SMM exit routine.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking a lock status of the security hardware.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing SMM code instructions.

4. A computer system configured to operate in System Management Mode (SMM), the computer system comprising:

means for unlocking security hardware;

means for accessing the first device;

means for locking the security hardware; and

means for calling an SMM exit routine.

5. A computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer system including a processor coupled to a memory, to security hardware, and to a first device, performs a method of operating a computer system in System Management Mode (SMM), the computer system, the method comprising:

unlocking security hardware;

accessing the first device;

locking the security hardware; and

calling an SMM exit routine.

6. The computer readable program storage device of claim 5, the method further comprising:

checking a lock status of the security hardware.

7. The computer readable program storage device of claim 5, the method further comprising:

processing SMM code instructions.

8. A method of operating a computer system in System Management Mode (SMM), the computer system including a processor coupled to a memory, to security hardware, and to a first device that is accessible when the security hardware is unlocked and is not accessible when the security hardware is locked, the method comprising:

unlocking security hardware;

accessing the first device;

locking the security hardware; and

calling an SMM exit routine.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

checking a lock status of the security hardware.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

processing SMM code instructions.