Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a cryptographic processor within a wireless device. The cryptographic processor includes at least one cryptographic unit. The cryptographic processor also includes a nonvolatile memory to store one or more microcode instructions, wherein at least one of the one or more microcode instructions is related to a sensitive operation. The cryptographic processor also includes a controller to control execution of the one or more microcode instructions by the at least one cryptographic unit, wherein the controller is to preclude execution of the sensitive operation if the apparatus is within an untrusted state.

Abstract: During debug operations in one embodiment of a trusted subsystem, passwords may be used to enable and disable access to selected areas, and to make access by different entities mutually exclusive. In another embodiment, programmable units may be used to define what the selected areas of access are for debug operations.

Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a portable computing device that has a processor, a direct memory access (DMA) engine, and a display controller may transfer data with the DMA engine to the display. The DMA engine may transfer the data while the processor is in a standby mode and transfer data to the processor while the processor is executing instructions.

Abstract: A processor-based system may include a main processor and a coprocessor. The coprocessor handles instructions that include opcodes specifying a data processing operation to be performed by the coprocessor and a coprocessor identification field for identifying a target coprocessor for coprocessor instructions. Two bits indicate one of four data sizes including a byte (8 bits), a half word (16 bits), a word (32 bits), and a double word (64 bits). Two other bits indicate a saturation type.