摘要:
One of the processors of a multiprocessor system is chosen to be a boot processor. The other processors of the multiprocessor system execute masking code that generates electromagnetic and/or thermal signatures that mask the electromagnetic and/or thermal signatures of the actual boot processor. Such masking may involve running the same boot code as the boot processor but without obtaining access to security information, such as the security key for accessing the system. The electromagnetic and/or thermal signatures generated by the execution of the masking code preferably approximate the electromagnetic and/or thermal signatures of the actual boot code executing on the boot processor. In this way, it is difficult to distinguish which processor is the actual boot processor.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for updating global branch history information are disclosed. A dynamic branch predictor within a data processing system includes a global branch history (GBH) buffer and a branch history table. The GBH buffer contains GBH information of a group of the most recent branch instructions. The branch history table includes multiple entries, each entry is associated with one or more branch instructions. The GBH information from the GBH buffer can be used to index into the branch history table to obtain a branch prediction signal. In response to a fetch group of instructions, a fixed number of GBH bits is shifted into the GBH buffer. The number of GBH bits is the same regardless of the number of branch instructions within the fetch group of instructions. In addition, there is a unique bit pattern associated with the case of no taken branch in the fetch group, regardless of the number of not-taken branches of even if there are any branches in the fetch group.
摘要:
A system and method for booting a multiprocessor device based on selection of encryption keys to be provided to the processors are provided. With the system and method, a security key and one or more randomly generated key values are provided to a selector mechanism of each processor of the multiprocessor device. A random selection mechanism is provided in pervasive logic that randomly selects one of the processors to be a boot processor and thereby, provides a select signal to the selector of the boot processor such that the boot processor selects the security key. All other processors select one of the one or more randomly generated key values. As a result, only the randomly selected boot processor is able to use the proper security key to decrypt the boot code for execution.
摘要:
A system and method for masking a hardware boot sequence are provided. With the system and method, one of the processors of a multiprocessor system is chosen to be a boot processor. The other processors of the multiprocessor system execute masking code that generates electromagnetic and/or thermal signatures that mask the electromagnetic and/or thermal signatures of the actual boot processor. Such masking may involve running the same boot code as the boot processor but without obtaining access to security information, such as the security key for accessing the system. The electromagnetic and/or thermal signatures generated by the execution of the masking code preferably approximate the electromagnetic and/or thermal signatures of the actual boot code executing on the boot processor. In this way, it is difficult to distinguish which processor is the actual boot processor.
摘要:
A system and method for masking a boot sequence by providing a dummy processor are provided. With the system and method, one of the processors of a multiprocessor system is chosen to be a boot processor. The other processors of the multiprocessor system execute masking code that generates electromagnetic and/or thermal signatures that mask the electromagnetic and/or thermal signatures of the actual boot processor. The execution of the masking code on the non-boot processors preferably generates electromagnetic and/or thermal signatures that approximate the signatures of the actual boot code execution on the boot processor. One of the non-boot processors is selected to execute masking code that is different from the other masking code sequence to thereby generate a electromagnetic and/or thermal signature that appears to be unique from an external monitoring perspective.