Method for securing a microprocessor, corresponding computer program and device
View Patent ↗A method is provided for securing a microprocessor containing at least one main program, which operates with at least one memory. The method includes implementing counter-measures, during which additional operations, that are not required for the main program, are implemented so as to modify the consumption of current and/or the processing time of the microprocessor. The method also includes: identification of at least one address or one memory zone of the memory(ies), called critical addresses, and which contain, or which may contain, critical data for said main program; monitoring the addressing ports of the memory(ies), so as to detect the access to the critical address(es); and activation of the step of implementing counter-measures, when an access to the critical address(es) is detected.
1. A method for securing a microprocessor containing at least one main program, which operates with at least one memory, wherein said method comprises:
identifying at least one address or one memory zone of said at least one memory, called critical addresses, and which contain, or which are configured to contain, critical data for said main program;
monitoring, by said microprocessor, the addressing ports of said at least one memory, so as to detect access to said critical addresses;
issuing an alert when an access to said critical addresses is detected by said microprocessor;
when said alert is issued, activating a step of implementing counter-measures, by said microprocessor, during which additional operations, that are not required for said main program, are implemented so as to modify consumption of current and/or processing time of said microprocessor, without interrupting the access to said critical addresses, wherein said implementing counter-measures comprises duplicating operations carried out by said main program; and
deactivating said counter-measures as soon as said critical addresses are no longer used.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said identifying designates at least one address or one memory zone comprising at least one of the elements from the group comprising:
a portion of code of said main program; and
secured data.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one memory belongs to the group comprising:
RAM memory;
ROM memory;
EPROM memory;
EEPROM memory; and
flash memory.
4. A computer program product saved onto a non-transitory, computer-readable support and executable by a microprocessor, wherein said program comprises program code instructions for the implementation of a method for securing the microprocessor, which contains at least one main program and operates with at least one memory, wherein said method comprises:
identifying at least one address or one memory zone of said at least one memory, called critical addresses, and which contain, or which are configured to contain, critical data for said main program;
monitoring the addressing ports of said at least one memory, by said microprocessor, so as to detect the access to said critical addresses;
issuing an alert when an access to said critical addresses is detected by said microprocessor;
when said alert is issued, activating, by said microprocessor, a step of implementing counter-measures, during which additional operations, that are not required for said main program, are implemented so as to modify consumption of current and/or processing time of said microprocessor, without interrupting the access to said critical addresses, said step of implementing counter-measures comprises duplicating operations carried out by said main program; and
deactivating said counter-measures as soon as said critical addresses are no longer used.
5. A secure microprocessor device, said secure microprocessor device containing at least one main program, which operates with at least one memory, wherein said secure microprocessor device comprises:
means for identifying at least one address or one memory zone of said at least one memory, called critical addresses, and containing, or configured to contain, critical data for said main program;
means for monitoring addressing ports of said at least one memory, so as to detect an access to said critical addresses;
means for issuing an alert, when an access to said critical addresses is detected;
means for implementing counter-measures, during which additional operations, that are not required for said main program, are implemented so as to modify consumption of current and/or processing time of said secure microprocessor device, without interrupting the access to said critical addresses, said means for implementing counter-measures comprising means for performing duplicating operations carried out by said main program;
means for activating said means for implementing counter-measures, when said alert is issued; and
means for deactivating said counter-measures as soon as said critical addresses are no longer used.
6. The secure microprocessor device according to claim 5 , wherein said device is in the form of a microprocessor card.