Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Secure predictors for speculative execution
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Application No.: US16362121Application Date: 2019-03-22
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Publication No.: US11429392B2Publication Date: 2022-08-30
- Inventor: Krste Asanovic , Andrew Waterman
- Applicant: SiFive, Inc.
- Applicant Address: US CA San Mateo
- Assignee: SiFive, Inc.
- Current Assignee: SiFive, Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US CA San Mateo
- Main IPC: G06F9/38
- IPC: G06F9/38 ; G06F9/30

Abstract:
Systems and methods are disclosed for secure predictors for speculative execution. Some implementations may eliminate or mitigate side-channel attacks, such as the Spectre-class of attacks, in a processor. For example, an integrated circuit (e.g., a processor) for executing instructions includes a predictor circuit that, when operating in a first mode, uses data stored in a set of predictor entries to generate predictions. For example, the integrated circuit may be configured to: detect a security domain transition for software being executed by the integrated circuit; responsive to the security domain transition, change a mode of the predictor circuit from the first mode to a second mode and invoke a reset of the set of predictor entries, wherein the second mode prevents the use of a first subset of the predictor entries of the set of predictor entries; and, after completion of the reset, change the mode back to the first mode.
Public/Granted literature
- US20200210197A1 SECURE PREDICTORS FOR SPECULATIVE EXECUTION Public/Granted day:2020-07-02
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