Abstract: A data processing apparatus and method are provided for controlling access to a slave device, the slave device having an address range associated therewith. The apparatus comprises control storage programmable to define a partition identifying a secure region and a non-secure region in the address range, with the data processing apparatus supporting a plurality of modes of operation including a secure mode, and the control storage being programmable only by software executing in the secure mode. A master device is arranged to issue an access request onto a bus, the access request identifying a sequence of addresses within the address range and including a control signal indicating whether the access request is a secure access request or a non-secure access request. The secure region is only accessible by a secure access request.