Abstract: A method includes protecting a boot sequence of a processing device by incrementing a counting value generated by a monotonic counter, then a first time period after the beginning of the boot sequence, comparing, by the protection circuit, the counting value with a first reference value, and, if the counting value is smaller than the first reference value, changing, by the protection circuit, the counting value to the first reference value.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for booting a processing device, the method including: generating, by a monotonic counter and during a first boot phase, a first count value; transmitting, by the monotonic counter, the first count value to an access control circuit of a memory; reading, on the basis of the first count value, first data stored in the memory; and generating, by the monotonic counter and during a second boot phase, a second count value greater than the first count value. The access control circuit of the memory is configured so that the reading of the first data is not authorized on the basis of the second count value.

Abstract: A method includes protecting a boot sequence of a processing device by incrementing a counting value generated by a monotonic counter, then a first time period after the beginning of the boot sequence, comparing, by the protection circuit, the counting value with a first reference value, and, if the counting value is smaller than the first reference value, changing, by the protection circuit, the counting value to the first reference value.

Abstract: In an embodiment a method for debugging a processing device includes generating, by a monotonic counter of the processing device, a first count value, transmitting, by the monotonic counter, the first count value to a debug access control circuit, comparing, by the debug access control circuit of the processing device, the first count value with one or more reference values and authorizing or preventing debug access, by the debug access control circuit, based on the comparison.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for booting a processing device, the method including: generating, by a monotonic counter and during a first boot phase, a first count value; transmitting, by the monotonic counter, the first count value to an access control circuit of a memory; reading, on the basis of the first count value, first data stored in the memory; and generating, by the monotonic counter and during a second boot phase, a second count value greater than the first count value. The access control circuit of the memory is configured so that the reading of the first data is not authorized on the basis of the second count value.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for performing a cryptographic operation, the method including generating a first count value by a monotonic counter of a processing device, transmitting the first count value from the monotonic counter to a memory of the processing device, selecting a first encryption key from the memory based on the first count value, and providing the selected first encryption key to a cryptographic processor.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for decrypting encrypted data. The method includes generating a first count value by a monotonic counter of a processing device, deriving, using a key derivation circuit, a first encryption key based on the first count value, transmitting the first encryption key to a cryptographic processor; and decrypting, based on the first encryption key, first encrypted data.

Abstract: A device and method for finding a desired entry in a collection of data is disclosed where the data collection is searched for first entries beginning with a selected character. After displaying the search results, an unwanted character of an entry included in the first entries is changed to a desired character, and the data collection is searched for second entries beginning with the desired character. Next, a portion of the first entries is replaced with the second entries, where this portion begins from the unwanted character. This process is repeated until the desired entry is displayed.