IP Library Granted Patent US 11,074,199
Granted Patent B2
US 11,074,199 · App. 15/774,463 · Granted Jul 27, 2021

Securing a memory device

Inventors: David F. Heinrich (Houston, TX); Theodore F. Emerson (Houston, TX); Don A. Dykes (Houston, TX); Sukhamoy Som (Houston, TX)
Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
G06F12/1416G06F3/0622G06F3/0659G06F3/0679G06F12/0246G06F21/00G06F21/85G06F2212/1052G06F2212/7207G06F2212/7209
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,074,199
App. No.
15/774,463
Granted
Jul 27, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Some examples described relate to securing a memory device of a computing system. For instance, a method may comprise comparing a command for the memory device to each command in a list of commands. The command is accepted when the command matches an authorized command in the list of commands. The accepted command is issued to the memory device.

Claims (31)

1. A method for securing a memory device of a computing system, comprising:

comparing a command for the memory device to a list of authorized commands for the memory device, wherein the list of authorized commands comprise a given authorized command, and the given authorized command is associated with a list of authorized parameters;

comparing a parameter for the command for the memory device to a plurality of parameters in the list of authorized parameters, wherein comparing the parameter for the command for the memory device to the plurality of parameters comprises comparing a length of the command for the memory device to a command length parameter;

accepting the command in response to the command matching the given authorized command in the list of commands and the parameter matching at least one parameter in the list of authorized parameters; and

issuing the accepted command to the memory device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the parameter for the command for the memory device to the plurality of parameters comprises comparing a data direction flow of the command for the memory device to a data direction parameter.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising locking the list of commands to prevent modifications.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising setting a write protect bit to lock the list of commands.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising rejecting the command for failing to match the authorized command in the list of commands.

6. A system for securing a memory device in a computing system, comprising:

a flash controller coupled to the memory device; and

registers coupled to the flash controller, wherein:

a list of commands are located in the registers;

a command comparator compares a command stored in a command register to each command in the list of commands to determine if the command is authorized;

the command comparator identifies a match between a given command of the list of commands and the command stored in the command register;

the given command of the command list is associated with a list of authorized parameters; and

the command comparator compares a parameter for the command stored in the command register to a plurality of parameters in the list of authorized parameters, wherein the comparison by the command comparator comprises comparing a length of the command stored in the command register to a command length parameter; and

a command acceptor identifies the command as authorized to the flash controller.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the list of parameters associated with the given command comprises an address range, an attribute, a command length, or a combination thereof.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the command comparator identifies the command stored in the command register as authorized in response to an address range for the command stored in the command register matching the address range for the command of the list of parameters associated with the given command, an attribute for the command stored in the command register matching the attribute of the command of the list of parameters associated with the given command, and the length of the command stored in the command register complying with the command length parameter.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the flash controller is a module in a baseboard management controller (BMC).

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the flash controller issues a tamper detect notification if an unauthorized command is rejected.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the list of commands is hard wired into logic circuits in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the list of commands is loaded to the registers when a system boots.

13. The system of claim 6 , wherein the flash controller allows direct access to the memory device during a boot sequence.

14. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, instruct the processor to:

compare a command stored in a command register to a list of authorized commands stored in registers in a baseboard management controller to identify a given authorized command in the list of authorized commands, wherein the given authorized command is associated with a list of authorized parameters;

compare a parameter for the command stored in the command register to a plurality of parameters in the list of authorized parameters, wherein comparing the parameter for the command stored in the command register comprises comparing a length of the command stored in the command register to a command length parameter;

accept the command stored in the command register based on the comparison of the parameter for the command stored in the command register with the plurality of parameters; and

issue the accepted command to a memory device.

15. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions instruct the processor to issue a tamper detect notification based on the comparison of the parameter for the command stored in the command register with the plurality of parameters.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 6, 2018
From: HEINRICH, DAVID F.; EMERSON, THEODORE F.; DYKES, DON A.; SOM, SUKHAMOY
To: HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT LP
Reel/Frame 047700/0576 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180322069A1 · Nov 8, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,321,502