Architecture for Protecting Critical Secrets in Microprocessors

  • Authors:
  • Ruby B. Lee;Peter C. S. Kwan;John P. McGregor;Jeffrey Dwoskin;Zhenghong Wang

  • Affiliations:
  • Princeton University;Princeton University;Princeton University;Princeton University;Princeton University

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 32nd annual international symposium on Computer Architecture
  • Year:
  • 2005

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Abstract

We propose "secret-protected (SP)" architecture to enable secure and convenient protection of critical secrets for a given user in an on-line environment. Keys are examples of critical secrets, and key protection and management is a fundamental problem 驴 often assumed but not solved 驴 underlying the use of cryptographic protection of sensitive files, messages, data and programs. SP-processors contain a minimalist set of architectural features that can be built into a general-purpose microprocessor to provide protection of critical secrets and their computations, without expensive or inconvenient auxiliary hardware. SP-architecture also requires a trusted software module, a few modifications to the operating system, a secure I/O path to the user, and a secure installation process. Unique aspects of our architecture include: decoupling of user secrets from the devices, enabling users to securely access their keys from different networked computing devices; the use of symmetric master keys rather than more costly public-private key pairs; and the avoidance of any permanent or factory-installed device secrets.