Electrical computers and digital processing systems: processing – Processing control – Mode switch or change
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-31
2003-01-14
Kim, Kenneth S. (Department: 2183)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: processing
Processing control
Mode switch or change
C711S152000, C709S241000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06507904
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to microprocessors. In particular, the invention relates to processor security.
2. Description of Related Art
Advances in microprocessor and communication technologies have opened up many opportunities for applications that go beyond the traditional ways of doing business. Electronic commerce (E-commerce) and business-to-business (B2B) transactions are now becoming popular, reaching the global markets at a fast rate. Unfortunately, while modem microprocessor systems provide users convenient and efficient methods of doing business, communicating and transacting, they are also vulnerable to unscrupulous attacks. Examples of these attacks include virus, intrusion, security breach, and tampering, to name a few. Computer security, therefore, is becoming more and more important to protect the integrity of the computer systems and increase the trust of users.
Threats caused by unscrupulous attacks may be in a number of forms. Attacks may be remote without requiring physical accesses. An invasive remote-launched attack by hackers may disrupt the normal operation of a system connected to thousands or even millions of users. A virus program may corrupt code and/or data of a single-user platform.
Existing techniques to protect against attacks have a number of drawbacks. Anti-virus programs can only scan and detect known viruses. Most anti-virus programs use a weak policy in which a file or program is assumed good until proved bad. For many security applications, this weak policy may not be appropriate. In addition, most anit-virus programs are used locally where they are resident in the platform. This may not be suitable in a group work environment. Security co-processors or smart cards using cryptographic or other security techniques have limitations in speed performance, memory capacity, and flexibility. Redesigning operating systems creates software compatibility issues and causes tremendous investment in development efforts.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4037214 (1977-07-01), Birney et al.
patent: 4278837 (1981-07-01), Best
patent: 4366537 (1982-12-01), Heller et al.
patent: 4521852 (1985-06-01), Guttag
patent: 5022077 (1991-06-01), Bealkowski et al.
patent: 5075842 (1991-12-01), Lai
patent: 5255379 (1993-10-01), Melo
patent: 5293424 (1994-03-01), Holtey et al.
patent: 5421006 (1995-05-01), Jablon et al.
patent: 5459869 (1995-10-01), Spilo
patent: 5473692 (1995-12-01), Davis
patent: 5479509 (1995-12-01), Ugon
patent: 5568552 (1996-10-01), Davis
patent: 5615263 (1997-03-01), Takahashi
patent: 5657445 (1997-08-01), Pearce
patent: 5717903 (1998-02-01), Bonola
patent: 5729760 (1998-03-01), Poisner
patent: 5764969 (1998-06-01), Kahle et al.
patent: 5796845 (1998-08-01), Serikawa et al.
patent: 5805712 (1998-09-01), Davis
patent: 5835594 (1998-11-01), Albrecht et al.
patent: 5844986 (1998-12-01), Davis
patent: 5890189 (1999-03-01), Nozue et al.
patent: 5937063 (1999-08-01), Davis
patent: 5978481 (1999-11-01), Ganesan et al.
patent: 5987557 (1999-11-01), Ebrahim
patent: 6014745 (2000-01-01), Ashe
patent: 6058478 (2000-05-01), Davis
patent: 6175925 (2001-01-01), Nardone et al.
patent: 6178509 (2001-01-01), Nardone et al.
patent: 6205550 (2001-03-01), Nardone et al.
patent: 6282651 (2001-08-01), Ashe
patent: 6282657 (2001-08-01), Kaplan et al.
patent: 2001/0037450 (2001-11-01), Metlitski et al.
patent: 0600112 (1994-08-01), None
patent: 0930567 (1999-07-01), None
patent: 1146715 (2001-10-01), None
patent: WO 9834365 (1998-08-01), None
patent: WO9844402 (1998-10-01), None
patent: WO9905600 (1999-02-01), None
patent: WO9909482 (1999-02-01), None
patent: WO9957863 (1999-11-01), None
patent: WO0062232 (2000-10-01), None
J. Heinrich: “MIPS R4000 Microprocessor User's Manual,” Apr. 1, 1993, MIPS, MT. View, XP002184449, pp. 61-97.
“M68040 User's Manual”, 1993, Motorola INC., p. 1-5—p. 1-9, p. 1-13-p. 1-20, p. 2-1-p. 2-3, p. 4-1, p. 8-9-p. 8-11.
“Intel 386 DX Microprocessor 32-Bit CHMOS Microprocessor With Integrated Memory Management”, Dec. 31, 1995, Intel Inc., pp. 32-56; figure 4-14.
Joe Heinrich: “MIPS R4000 Microprocessor User's Manual”, 1994, MIPS Technology Inc., Mountain View, CA, pp. 67-79.
Berg C: “How Do I Create a Signed Applet?”, Dr. Dobb's Journal, M&T Publ., Redwood City, CA, US, vol. 22, No. 8, 8 ′97, p. 109-111, 122.
Gong L et al: “Going Beyond the Sandbox: An Overview of the New Security Architecture in the Java Developement Kit 1.2”, Proceedings of the Usenix Symposium on Internet Technologies and Systems, Montery, CA 13 ′97, pp. 103-112.
Ellison Carl M.
Golliver Roger A.
Herbert Howard C.
Lin Derrick C.
McKeen Francis X.
LandOfFree
Executing isolated mode instructions in a secure system... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Executing isolated mode instructions in a secure system..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Executing isolated mode instructions in a secure system... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3061081