Method for verifying an execution environment used for execution of at least one hardware-application provided by a configurable hardware module

1. A method for verifying an execution environment provided by a configurable hardware module, wherein the execution environment in the configurable hardware module is used for execution of at least one hardware-application, the method comprising:

receiving, by the configurable hardware module, the hardware-application, wherein the hardware-application comprises configuration data describing an instantiation as a hardware-application component on the configurable hardware module;

instantiating the received hardware-application as the hardware-application component in the execution environment of the configurable hardware module;

analyzing, by the instantiated hardware-application component, the execution environment of the configurable hardware module that executes the hardware-application component in the respective execution environment, wherein the hardware application component communicates with a characterizing unit providing characterizing parameters for the execution environment of the configurable hardware module; and

verifying the analyzed execution environment of the configurable hardware module as admissible for execution of the hardware-application component when the analyzed execution environment matches the characterizing parameters provided by the characterizing unit,

wherein the hardware-application component changes into a hardware operation mode when the analyzed execution environment does not match the characterizing parameters provided by the characterizing unit, the hardware operation mode comprising:

changing the hardware operation mode of the hardware-application component into error modus, debugging modus, or error modus and debugging modus; and

repeating the verifying.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein further comprises:

limiting functionality of the hardware-application component; or

deactivating the functionality of the hardware-application component.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the characterizing unit comprises characterizing parameters specifying the reconfiguration region of the configurable hardware module.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the characterizing unit is included in the configurable hardware module.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the characterizing unit comprises characterizing parameters specifying at least one partial reconfiguration region of the reconfiguration region of the configurable hardware module.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the characterizing unit is included in the hardware-application component.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the execution environment of the configurable hardware module comprises a reconfiguration region of a configurable hardware module, at least one partial reconfiguration region of the reconfiguration region of the configurable hardware module, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configurable hardware module comprises a field programmable gate array, an application specific integrated circuit, or an application specific standard product.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the characterizing unit comprises a physical unclonable function, a ring oscillator, or a ring oscillator-physical unclonable function.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the characterizing parameter comprises a reference-value used for calculating a hamming-distance of changing bits.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the reference-value is encrypted or signed with a hardware-application component specific key by the hardware-application component.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the characterizing parameter comprises a reference-value including bits with a defined stable or instable state.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the characterizing parameter comprises a challenge-response-list.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the characterizing parameter comprises an encrypted key generated by the hardware-application component.

15. An apparatus for verifying an execution environment provided by a configurable hardware module, wherein the execution environment in the configurable hardware module is used for execution of at least one hardware-application, the apparatus comprising:

a processing unit configured to:

provide the hardware-application, wherein the hardware-application comprises configuration data describing the instantiation as a hardware-application component on the configurable hardware module;

instantiate a provided hardware-application as the hardware-application component in the execution environment of the configurable hardware module;

receive a result from analysis of the execution environment of the configurable hardware module that executes the hardware-application component processed by an instantiated hardware-application component, wherein the hardware-application component is in communication with a characterizing unit providing characterizing parameters for the execution environment of the configurable hardware module; and

verify the analyzed execution environment of the configurable hardware module as admissible for execution of the hardware-application component based on a received result when the analyzed execution environment matches the characterizing parameters provided by the characterizing unit,

wherein the hardware-application component is configured to change into a hardware operation mode when the analyzed execution environment does not match the characterizing parameters provided by the characterizing unit, the hardware operation mode comprising:

change of the hardware operation mode of the hardware-application component into error modus, debugging modus, or error modus and debugging modus;

and

 repetition of the verification.