Patents by Inventor Joseph F. Cihula

Joseph F. Cihula has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11436161
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a system for address mapping and translation protection. In one embodiment, processing circuitry may include a virtual machine manager (VMM) to control specific guest linear address (GLA) translations. Control may be implemented in a performance sensitive and secure manner, and may be capable of improving performance for critical linear address page walks over legacy operation by removing some or all of the cost of page walking extended page tables (EPTs) for critical mappings. Alone or in combination with the above, certain portions of a page table structure may be selectively made immutable by a VMM or early boot process using a sub-page policy (SPP). For example, SPP may enable non-volatile kernel and/or user space code and data virtual-to-physical memory mappings to be made immutable (e.g., non-writable) while allowing for modifications to non-protected portions of the OS paging structures and particularly the user space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ravi L. Sahita, Gilbert Neiger, Vedvyas Shanbhogue, David M. Durham, Andrew V. Anderson, David A. Koufaty, Asit K. Mallick, Arumugam Thiyagarajah, Barry E. Huntley, Deepak K. Gupta, Michael Lemay, Joseph F. Cihula, Baiju V. Patel
  • Publication number: 20220027287
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a system for address mapping and translation protection. In one embodiment, processing circuitry may include a virtual machine manager (VMM) to control specific guest linear address (GLA) translations. Control may be implemented in a performance sensitive and secure manner, and may be capable of improving performance for critical linear address page walks over legacy operation by removing some or all of the cost of page walking extended page tables (EPTs) for critical mappings. Alone or in combination with the above, certain portions of a page table structure may be selectively made immutable by a VMM or early boot process using a sub-page policy (SPP). For example, SPP may enable non-volatile kernel and/or user space code and data virtual-to-physical memory mappings to be made immutable (e.g., non-writable) while allowing for modifications to non-protected portions of the OS paging structures and particularly the user space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ravi L. SAHITA, Gilbert NEIGER, Vedvyas SHANBHOGUE, David M. DURHAM, Andrew V. ANDERSON, David A. KOUFATY, Asit K. MALLICK, Arumugam THIYAGARAJAH, Barry E. HUNTLEY, Deepak K. GUPTA, Michael LEMAY, Joseph F. CIHULA, Baiju V. PATEL
  • Patent number: 11144479
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a system for address mapping and translation protection. In one embodiment, processing circuitry may include a virtual machine manager (VMM) to control specific guest linear address (GLA) translations. Control may be implemented in a performance sensitive and secure manner, and may be capable of improving performance for critical linear address page walks over legacy operation by removing some or all of the cost of page walking extended page tables (EPTs) for critical mappings. Alone or in combination with the above, certain portions of a page table structure may be selectively made immutable by a VMM or early boot process using a sub-page policy (SPP). For example, SPP may enable non-volatile kernel and/or user space code and data virtual-to-physical memory mappings to be made immutable (e.g., non-writable) while allowing for modifications to non-protected portions of the OS paging structures and particularly the user space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ravi L. Sahita, Gilbert Neiger, Vedvyas Shanbhogue, David M. Durham, Andrew V. Anderson, David A. Koufaty, Asit K. Mallick, Arumugam Thiyagarajah, Barry E. Huntley, Deepak K. Gupta, Michael Lemay, Joseph F. Cihula, Baiju V. Patel
  • Patent number: 11010310
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, computer readable storage mediums and/or methods may provide memory integrity by using unused physical address bits (or other metadata passed through cache) to manipulate cryptographic memory integrity values, allowing software memory allocation routines to control the assignment of pointers (e.g., implement one or more access control policies). Unused address bits (e.g., because of insufficient external memory) passed through cache, may encode key domain information in the address so that different key domain addresses alias to the same physical memory location. Accordingly, by mixing virtual memory mappings and cache line granularity aliasing, any page in memory may contain a different set of aliases at the cache line level and be non-deterministic to an adversary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Durham, Siddhartha Chhabra, Michael E. Kounavis, Sergej Deutsch, Karanvir S. Grewal, Joseph F. Cihula, Saeedeh Komijani
  • Publication number: 20200278937
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, computer readable storage mediums and/or methods may provide memory integrity by using unused physical address bits (or other metadata passed through cache) to manipulate cryptographic memory integrity values, allowing software memory allocation routines to control the assignment of pointers (e.g., implement one or more access control policies). Unused address bits (e.g., because of insufficient external memory) passed through cache, may encode key domain information in the address so that different key domain addresses alias to the same physical memory location. Accordingly, by mixing virtual memory mappings and cache line granularity aliasing, any page in memory may contain a different set of aliases at the cache line level and be non-deterministic to an adversary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Durham, Siddhartha Chhabra, Michael E. Kounavis, Sergej Deutsch, Karanvir S. Grewal, Joseph F. Cihula, Saeedeh Komijani
  • Publication number: 20200159673
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a system for address mapping and translation protection. In one embodiment, processing circuitry may include a virtual machine manager (VMM) to control specific guest linear address (GLA) translations. Control may be implemented in a performance sensitive and secure manner, and may be capable of improving performance for critical linear address page walks over legacy operation by removing some or all of the cost of page walking extended page tables (EPTs) for critical mappings. Alone or in combination with the above, certain portions of a page table structure may be selectively made immutable by a VMM or early boot process using a sub-page policy (SPP). For example, SPP may enable non-volatile kernel and/or user space code and data virtual-to-physical memory mappings to be made immutable (e.g., non-writable) while allowing for modifications to non-protected portions of the OS paging structures and particularly the user space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: RAVI L. SAHITA, GILBERT NEIGER, VEDVYAS SHANBHOGUE, DAVID M. DURHAM, ANDREW V. ANDERSON, DAVID A. KOUFATY, ASIT K. MALLICK, ARUMUGAM THIYAGARAJAH, BARRY E. HUNTLEY, DEEPAK K. GUPTA, MICHAEL LEMAY, JOSEPH F. CIHULA, BAIJU V. PATEL
  • Patent number: 10585809
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, computer readable storage mediums and/or methods may provide memory integrity by using unused physical address bits (or other metadata passed through cache) to manipulate cryptographic memory integrity values, allowing software memory allocation routines to control the assignment of pointers (e.g., implement one or more access control policies). Unused address bits (e.g., because of insufficient external memory) passed through cache, may encode key domain information in the address so that different key domain addresses alias to the same physical memory location. Accordingly, by mixing virtual memory mappings and cache line granularity aliasing, any page in memory may contain a different set of aliases at the cache line level and be non-deterministic to an adversary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Durham, Siddhartha Chhabra, Michael E. Kounavis, Sergej Deutsch, Karanvir S. Grewal, Joseph F. Cihula, Saeedeh Komijani
  • Patent number: 10515023
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a system for address mapping and translation protection. In one embodiment, processing circuitry may include a virtual machine manager (VMM) to control specific guest linear address (GLA) translations. Control may be implemented in a performance sensitive and secure manner, and may be capable of improving performance for critical linear address page walks over legacy operation by removing some or all of the cost of page walking extended page tables (EPTs) for critical mappings. Alone or in combination with the above, certain portions of a page table structure may be selectively made immutable by a VMM or early boot process using a sub-page policy (SPP). For example, SPP may enable non-volatile kernel and/or user space code and data virtual-to-physical memory mappings to be made immutable (e.g., non-writable) while allowing for modifications to non-protected portions of the OS paging structures and particularly the user space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ravi L. Sahita, Gilbert Neiger, Vedvyas Shanbhogue, David M. Durham, Andrew V. Anderson, David A. Koufaty, Asit K. Mallick, Arumugam Thiyagarajah, Barry E. Huntley, Deepak K. Gupta, Michael Lemay, Joseph F. Cihula, Baiju V. Patel
  • Patent number: 10503664
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a system for address mapping and translation protection. In one embodiment, processing circuitry may include a virtual machine manager (VMM) to control specific guest linear address (GLA) translations. Control may be implemented in a performance sensitive and secure manner, and may be capable of improving performance for critical linear address page walks over legacy operation by removing some or all of the cost of page walking extended page tables (EPTs) for critical mappings. Alone or in combination with the above, certain portions of a page table structure may be selectively made immutable by a VMM or early boot process using a sub-page policy (SPP). For example, SPP may enable non-volatile kernel and/or user space code and data virtual-to-physical memory mappings to be made immutable (e.g., non-writable) while allowing for modifications to non-protected portions of the OS paging structures and particularly the user space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: David M. Durham, Ravi L. Sahita, Gilbert Neiger, Vedvyas Shanbhogue, Andrew V. Anderson, Michael Lemay, Joseph F. Cihula, Arumugam Thiyagarajah, Asit K. Mallick, Barry E. Huntley, David A. Koufaty, Deepak K. Gupta, Baiju V. Patel
  • Patent number: 10394595
    Abstract: A processor comprises a register to store a first reference to a context data structure specifying a virtual machine context, the context data structure comprising a second reference to a target array and an execution unit comprising a logic circuit to execute a virtual machine (VM) based on the virtual machine context, wherein the VM comprises a guest operating system (OS) associated with a page table comprising a first memory address mapping between a guest virtual address (GVA) space and a guest physical address (GPA) space, receive a request by the guest OS to switch from the first memory address mapping to a second memory address mapping, the request comprising an index value and a first root value, retrieve an entry, identified by the index value, from the target array, the entry comprising a second root value, and responsive to determining that the first root value matches the second root value, cause a switch from the first memory address mapping to the second memory address mapping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Gilbert Neiger, Deepak K. Gupta, Ravi L. Sahita, Barry E. Huntley, Vedvyas Shanbhogue, Joseph F. Cihula
  • Publication number: 20190065226
    Abstract: A processor comprises a register to store a first reference to a context data structure specifying a virtual machine context, the context data structure comprising a second reference to a target array and an execution unit comprising a logic circuit to execute a virtual machine (VM) based on the virtual machine context, wherein the VM comprises a guest operating system (OS) associated with a page table comprising a first memory address mapping between a guest virtual address (GVA) space and a guest physical address (GPA) space, receive a request by the guest OS to switch from the first memory address mapping to a second memory address mapping, the request comprising an index value and a first root value, retrieve an entry, identified by the index value, from the target array, the entry comprising a second root value, and responsive to determining that the first root value matches the second root value, cause a switch from the first memory address mapping to the second memory address mapping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Gilbert Neiger, Deepak K. Gupta, Ravi L. Sahita, Barry E. Huntley, Vedvyas Shanbhogue, Joseph F. Cihula
  • Publication number: 20190035201
    Abstract: A method for managing a smart card system includes testing a smart card reader for trustworthiness. An indication of the trustworthiness is provided via a smart card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventor: Joseph F. CIHULA
  • Patent number: 10109141
    Abstract: A method for managing a smart card system includes testing a smart card reader for trustworthiness. An indication of the trustworthiness is provided via a smart card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph F. Cihula
  • Patent number: 10089247
    Abstract: One embodiment provides an apparatus. The apparatus includes an input output memory management unit (I/O MMU), a non-secure operating system (OS) driver, a secure OS driver and a virtual machine monitor (VMM). The I/OMMU is to couple an I/O Controller to a memory. The I/O Controller is coupled to a secure device and a non-secure device and has one I/O Controller identifier. The non-secure OS driver is associated with the non-secure device. The secure OS driver is associated with the secure device. The VMM is to allocate a secure address space to a secure OS and a non-secure address space to a non-secure OS. The secure address space is non-overlapping with the non-secure address space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Nitin V. Sarangdhar, Baiju V. Patel, Tin-Cheung Kung, Joseph F. Cihula, Prashant Sethi, Vinay Kumar Rangineni
  • Publication number: 20180095900
    Abstract: One embodiment provides an apparatus. The apparatus includes an input output memory management unit (I/O MMU), a non-secure operating system (OS) driver, a secure OS driver and a virtual machine monitor (VMM). The I/OMMU is to couple an I/O Controller to a memory. The I/O Controller is coupled to a secure device and a non-secure device and has one I/O Controller identifier. The non-secure OS driver is associated with the non-secure device. The secure OS driver is associated with the secure device. The VMM is to allocate a secure address space to a secure OS and a non-secure address space to a non-secure OS. The secure address space is non-overlapping with the non-secure address space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nitin V. Sarangdhar, Baiju V. Patel, Tin-Cheung Kung, Joseph F. Cihula, Prashant Sethi, Vinay Kumar Rangineni
  • Publication number: 20170285976
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems, computer readable storage mediums and/or methods may provide memory integrity by using unused physical address bits (or other metadata passed through cache) to manipulate cryptographic memory integrity values, allowing software memory allocation routines to control the assignment of pointers (e.g., implement one or more access control policies). Unused address bits (e.g., because of insufficient external memory) passed through cache, may encode key domain information in the address so that different key domain addresses alias to the same physical memory location. Accordingly, by mixing virtual memory mappings and cache line granularity aliasing, any page in memory may contain a different set of aliases at the cache line level and be non-deterministic to an adversary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: David M. Durham, Siddhartha Chhabra, Michael E. Kounavis, Sergej Deutsch, Karanvir S. Grewal, Joseph F. Cihula, Saeedeh Komijani
  • Publication number: 20170249260
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a system for address mapping and translation protection. In one embodiment, processing circuitry may include a virtual machine manager (VMM) to control specific guest linear address (GLA) translations. Control may be implemented in a performance sensitive and secure manner, and may be capable of improving performance for critical linear address page walks over legacy operation by removing some or all of the cost of page walking extended page tables (EPTs) for critical mappings. Alone or in combination with the above, certain portions of a page table structure may be selectively made immutable by a VMM or early boot process using a sub-page policy (SPP). For example, SPP may enable non-volatile kernel and/or user space code and data virtual-to-physical memory mappings to be made immutable (e.g., non-writable) while allowing for modifications to non-protected portions of the OS paging structures and particularly the user space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: RAVI L. SAHITA, GILBERT NEIGER, VEDVYAS SHANBHOGUE, DAVID M. DURHAM, ANDREW V. ANDERSON, DAVID A. KOUFATY, ASIT K. MALLICK, ARUMUGAM THIYAGARAJAH, BARRY E. HUNTLEY, DEEPAK K. GUPTA, MICHAEL LEMAY, JOSEPH F. CIHULA, BAIJU V. PATEL
  • Publication number: 20170249261
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a system for address mapping and translation protection. In one embodiment, processing circuitry may include a virtual machine manager (VMM) to control specific guest linear address (GLA) translations. Control may be implemented in a performance sensitive and secure manner, and may be capable of improving performance for critical linear address page walks over legacy operation by removing some or all of the cost of page walking extended page tables (EPTs) for critical mappings. Alone or in combination with the above, certain portions of a page table structure may be selectively made immutable by a VMM or early boot process using a sub-page policy (SPP). For example, SPP may enable non-volatile kernel and/or user space code and data virtual-to-physical memory mappings to be made immutable (e.g., non-writable) while allowing for modifications to non-protected portions of the OS paging structures and particularly the user space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: DAVID M. DURHAM, RAVI L. SAHITA, GILBERT NEIGER, VEDVYAS SHANBHOGUE, ANDREW V. ANDERSON, MICHAEL LEMAY, JOSEPH F. CIHULA, ARUMUGAM THIYAGARAJAH, ASIT K. MALLICK, BARRY E. HUNTLEY, DAVID A. KOUFATY, DEEPAK K. GUPTA, BAIJU V. PATEL
  • Patent number: 7908653
    Abstract: Improving security of a processing system may be accomplished by at least one of executing and accessing a suspect file in a sandbox virtual machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ernie F. Brickell, Clifford D. Hall, Joseph F. Cihula, Richard Uhlig
  • Patent number: 7765544
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for improving security on a virtual machines host is described. A shared file system on the host may include annotations usable by a service module to access files across VMs and to enforce security policies. The service module may additionally enable a unified user interface to improve usability of the host.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ernie F. Brickell, Clifford D. Hall, Joseph F. Cihula, Richard A. Uhlig