Secure transaction microcontroller with secure boot loader

Details Secure transaction microcontroller with secure boot loader Secure transaction microcontroller with secure boot loader

2008-03-11

2008-03-11

Prieto, Beatriz (Department: 4117)

Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support

Data processing protection using cryptography

Tamper resistant

C713S187000, C257S922000, C361S654000, C361S672000

Reexamination Certificate

active

07343496

ABSTRACT:
A high security microcontroller (such as in a point of sale terminal) includes tamper control circuitry for detecting vulnerability conditions: a write to program memory before the sensitive financial information has been erased, a tamper detect condition, the enabling of a debugger, a power-up condition, an illegal temperature condition, an illegal supply voltage condition, an oscillator fail condition, and a battery removal condition. If the tamper control circuitry detects a vulnerability condition, then the memory where the sensitive financial information could be stored is erased before boot loader operation or debugger operation can be enabled. Upon power-up if a valid image is detected in program memory, then the boot loader is not executed and secure memory is not erased but rather the image is executed. The tamper control circuitry is a hardware state machine that is outside control of user-loaded software and is outside control of the debugger.

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