Collated multi-image check in system-on-chips

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10747883-B2
Application number	US-201715631575-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2017
Priority date	May 11, 2017
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

Various additional and alternative aspects are described herein. In some aspects, the present disclosure provides a method of authenticating executable images in a system-on-chip (SoC), the method comprising: storing a plurality of executable images; storing, as separate from the plurality of executable images, a signed image of hashes comprising a plurality of hashes corresponding to the plurality of executable images and a first signature; authenticating the signed image of hashes based on the first signature; and using a first hash of the plurality of hashes to authenticate a first executable image of the plurality of executable images when the signed image of hashes passes authentication.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of authenticating executable images in a system-on-chip (SoC), the method comprising:
storing a plurality of executable images;
storing, as separate from the plurality of executable images, a signed image of hashes comprising: i) an image of hashes comprising a plurality of hashes corresponding to the plurality of executable images; and ii) a first signature of the image of hashes;
authenticating the signed image of hashes based on the first signature;
using a first hash of the plurality of hashes to authenticate a first executable image of the plurality of executable images when the signed image of hashes passes the authentication based on the first signature; and
using a second hash appended to the first executable image to authenticate the first executable image when the signed image of hashes does not pass the authentication based on the first signature.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising caching the plurality of hashes in secure memory when the signed image of hashes passes the authentication based on the first signature.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using a third hash of the plurality of hashes to authenticate a second executable image of the plurality of executable images when the signed image of hashes passes the authentication based on the first signature.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
updating a second executable image of the plurality of executable images, while not updating the signed image of hashes;
determining the signed image of hashes does not pass the authentication based on the first signature; and
using hashes appended to each of the plurality of executable images to authenticate the plurality of executable images.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
updating the signed image of hashes based on an updated second executable image of the plurality of executable images, while not updating the second executable image;
computing a hash of the second executable image;
determining a third hash of the plurality of hashes corresponding to the second executable image does not match the computed hash; and
using a hash appended to the second executable image to authenticate the second executable image.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing a second signed image of hashes comprising: i) a second image of hashes comprising a second plurality of hashes corresponding to a second plurality of executable images; and ii) a second signature of the second image of hashes, wherein the second signature is generated with a different root certificate than the first signature; and authenticating the second signed image of hashes based on the second signature.

7. A system-on-chip (SoC) comprising:
an interface to a memory, the memory being configured to store:
a plurality of executable images; and
separate from the plurality of executable images, a signed image of hashes comprising: i) an image of hashes comprising a plurality of hashes corresponding to the plurality of executable images; and ii) a first signature of the image of hashes; and

at least one hardware processor configured to:
authenticate the signed image of hashes based on the first signature;
use a first hash of the plurality of hashes to authenticate a first executable image of the plurality of executable images when the signed image of hashes passes the authentication based on the first signature; and
use a second hash appended to the first executable image to authenticate the first executable image when the signed image of hashes does not pass the authentication based on the first signature.

8. The SoC of claim 7 , further comprising a secure memory, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cache the plurality of hashes in the secure memory when the signed image of hashes passes the authentication based on the first signature.

9. The SoC of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to use a third hash of the plurality of hashes to authenticate a second executable image of the plurality of executable images when the signed image of hashes passes the authentication based on the first signature.

10. The SoC of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
update a second executable image of the plurality of executable images, while not updating the signed image of hashes;
determine the signed image of hashes does not pass the authentication based on the first signature; and
use hashes appended to each of the plurality of executable images to authenticate the plurality of executable images.

11. The SoC of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
update the signed image of hashes based on an updated second executable image of the plurality of executable images, while not updating the second executable image;
compute a hash of the second executable image;
determine a third hash of the plurality of hashes corresponding to the second executable image does not match the computed hash; and
use a hash appended to the second executable image to authenticate the second executable image.

12. The SoC of claim 7 , wherein the memory is further configured to store a second signed image of hashes comprising: i) a second image of hashes comprising a second plurality of hashes corresponding to a second plurality of executable images; and ii) a second signature of the second image of hashes, wherein the second signature is generated with a different root certificate than the first signature, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to authenticate the second signed image of hashes based on the second signature.

13. A system-on-chip (SoC) comprising:
means for storing a plurality of executable images;
means for storing, as separate from the plurality of executable images, a signed image of hashes comprising: i) an image of hashes comprising a plurality of hashes corresponding to the plurality of executable images; and ii) a first signature of the image of hashes;
means for authenticating the signed image of hashes based on the first signature;
means for using a first hash of the plurality of hashes to authenticate a first executable image of the plurality of executable images when the signed image of hashes passes the authentication based on the first signature; and
means for using a second hash appended to the first executable image to authenticate the first executable image when the signed image of hashes does not pass the authentication based on the first signature.

14. The SoC of claim 13 , further comprising means for caching the plurality of hashes in secure memory when the signed image of hashes passes the authentication based on the first signature.

15. The SoC of claim 13 , further comprising means for using a third hash of the plurality of hashes to authenticate a second executable image of the plurality of executable images when the signed image of hashes passes the authentication based on the first signature.

16. The SoC of claim 13 , further comprising:
means for updating a second executable image of the plurality of executable images, while not updating the signed image of hashes;
means for determining the signed image of hashes does not pass the authentication based on the first signature; and
means for using hashes appended to each of the plurality of executable images to authenticate the plurality of executable images.

17. The SoC of claim 13 , further comprising:
means for updating the signed image of hashes based on an updated second executable image of

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Packer Ali Dhamim
• Patel Dhaval
• Kim Justin Yongjin
• Miranda Maria
• Feitelson Cory David
• Taseski Eric

Classifications

• H04L9/0643

  Hash functions, e.g. MD5, SHA, HMAC or f9 MAC · CPC title

• H04L2209/12

  Details relating to cryptographic hardware or logic circuitry · CPC title

• G06F21/51

  at application loading time, e.g. accepting, rejecting, starting or inhibiting executable software based on integrity or source reliability · CPC title

• H04L9/0891

  Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying · CPC title

• G06F21/64

  Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures · CPC title