Method and apparatus for protecting flash memory

1. A method for protecting flash memory residing on a computing device, comprising:

receiving a write request for the flash memory at a first processor;

enabling, upon receipt of the write request, a write capability of the flash memory with a trusted software component executing on a second processor which is distinct from and not interconnected via a computer bus to the first processor;

writing data to the flash memory;

disabling an external network interface to the computer device during the time in which the flash memory is write enabled; and

disabling the write capability of the flash memory after the data is written to the flash memory.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises receiving a data file having a digital signature with the write request.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprises forwarding the data file from the first processor to the second processor for signature validation; and validating the digital signature associated with the data file at the second processor.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprises enabling a write capability of a flash memory upon successful validation of the digital signature.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the trusted software component is a cryptographic engine operating on the secondary processor.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprises transmitting a message indicative of a successful validation from the second processor to the first processor and writing the data file from the first processor to the flash memory.

7. A method for protecting flash memory residing on a computing device, comprising:

receiving a data file having a digital signature at a main processor;

forwarding the data file from the main processor to a secondary processor for signature validation, where the second processor is distinct from the main processor;

validating the digital signature associated with the data file at the secondary processor;

enabling a write capability of a flash memory upon successful validation of the digital signature;

preventing receipt of data packets which are transmitted in accordance with an Internet Protocol via a network interface to the computing device during the time in which the flash memory is write enabled; and

writing the data file to the flash memory.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprises disabling the write capability of the flash memory after writing the data file to the flash memory.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein disabling a write capability comprises sending a write disable signal from the secondary processor to a write protect pin of the flash memory.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprises validating the digital signature using a cryptographic engine operating on the secondary processor.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein enabling a write capability comprises sending a write enable signal from the secondary processor to a write protect pin of the flash memory

12. The method of claim 7 further comprises preventing receipt of data packets by disabling a clock of the network interface by the secondary processor.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprises receiving a message indicative of a successful validation from the secondary processor and writing the data file from the main processor to the flash memory.

14. A system for protecting flash memory on a computing device, comprising:

a flash memory having a write protect pin;

a main control processor adapted to receive a data file having a digital signature and operable to forward the data file to a secondary processor for signature validation, the secondary processor being physically distinct from and not interconnected via a computer bus to the main control processor; and

the secondary processor adapted to receive the data file from the main control processor and operable to validate the digital signature associated with the data file, the secondary processor further operable to send a write enable signal to the write protect pin upon successful validation of the digital signature and to disable a network interface to the computer device during the time in which the flash memory is write enabled.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the main control processor is operable to write the data file to the flash memory once write enabled by the secondary processor.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the secondary processor is operable to write the data file to the flash memory once write enabled.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the secondary processor is operable to send a write disable signal to the write protect pin once the data file has been written to the flash memory.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the secondary processor is further defined as a cryptographic engine.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the secondary processor is operable to disable a clock of an Ethernet interface transceiver.