To Partition Or Not To Partition

For Secure IoT Devices Most embedded systems that are connected to the Internet, also known as things or devices, are based upon microcontrollers having moderate performance and small to moderate memories. The software or firmware in these devices typically runs on minimal RTOSs with no security protection. All software in such systems is linked into …

Moving Uptown to Umode

pmode[1] partitions may be just as effective as umode[2] partitions for reliability; however, umode partitions are much better for security for the following reasons: The hardware enforced pmode barrier prevents umode access to pmode data and code.The MPU cannot be turned off nor altered from umode.The Background Region (BR) is ineffective in umode. These combine …

What’s In Your SOUP?

SOUP (Software of Unknown Pedigree) is often incorporated into embedded system projects due to schedule pressure, lack of in-house expertise, or for other reasons, and it ends up in the final product. Such third-party software may be carefully designed, documented, and commented, but it remains a mystery to your team because no one has time …

Where’s The Gold?

Many Things are embedded systems to which networking has recently been added. As such, hackers coming in via the Hacker’s Highway (aka the Internet) can overcome the weak defenses of such systems and gain access to critical information such as encryption keys. As a consequence, entire networks can become compromised all the way into the …

Is Your Thing In Danger?

Introduction The figure below shows the security structure of typical microcontroller embedded software. There is no structure! A hacker who has gained access to the system, has access to anything he wants, including keys and other secrets. This undermines the security afforded by encryption, authentication, and other security methods employed in modern systems. This figure …