Protego: A Low-Overhead Open-Source I/O Physical Memory Protection Unit for RISC-V
Abstract
Physical memory protection is a hardware mechanism designed to prevent unauthorized access to specific memory regions, enabling the deployment of Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs). The RISC-V instruction set architecture specifies PMP for RISC-V cores but leaves other system bus masters as found in heterogeneous computing systems out of scope. This work presents Protego, an open-source I/O physical memory protection (IOPMP) unit based on the RISC-V PMP specification that extends PMP to other system bus masters. We demonstrate that Protego is effective in protecting sensitive data in memory and preventing unauthorized access at small hardware costs of below 40 kGE for a 64-bit system and negligible performance impact, making it a valuable tool for creating TEEs in heterogeneous computing systems. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000647375Publication status
publishedBook title
Proceedings of the 1st Safety and Security in Heterogeneous Open System-on-Chip Platforms Workshop (SSH-SoC 2023)Publisher
SSH-SoCEvent
Subject
memory protectionOrganisational unit
03996 - Benini, Luca / Benini, Luca
Funding
877056 - A Cognitive Fractal and Secure EDGE based on an unique Open-Safe-Reliable-Low Power Hardware Platform Node (EC)
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