Methods to Discourage Unauthorized Register Access

A computer system, processor, and method for processing information is disclosed that includes watching logical operations to detect unauthorized attempts to access a register, and taking evasive action in response to detecting unauthorized attempts to access the register. In an embodiment, the regi...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors Albertson, Chad, Wheeler, David G, Fredrickson, Mark, Frei, Scott D
Format Patent
LanguageEnglish
Published 06.02.2020
Subjects
BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
CALCULATING
COMPUTING
COUNTING
ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
ELECTRICITY
PHYSICS
PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
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Summary:A computer system, processor, and method for processing information is disclosed that includes watching logical operations to detect unauthorized attempts to access a register, and taking evasive action in response to detecting unauthorized attempts to access the register. In an embodiment, the register is a hidden, secret, restricted, or undocumented register, and the method further includes, in response to unauthorized attempts to access the secret register, locking the contents of the secret register. The evasive action may include one or more of interrupting the operations of the processor; causing the processor to shut-down, malfunction, lock, self-destruct; no longer providing read or write permission or access to the register; releasing data disguised to look like the real register data while not releasing the real data; and combinations thereof.
Bibliography:Application Number: US201816050258