Introduction to ARM Trust Zone for Cortex-M Processors
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Scope:
This techerature introduces the ARM's 'TrustZone' on Cortex-M processors.
ARM TrustZone in Cortex-M is different to Cortex-A class processors.
Secure and Non-Secure are just 'states' of the processor.
Unlike TrustZone technology in Cortex-A processors, the division of Secure and Normal worlds is memory map based and the transitions takes place automatically in exception handling code.
ARM TrustZone technology enables the system and the software to be partitioned into Secure and Normal worlds. Secure software can access both Secure and Non-secure memories and resources, while Normal software can only access Non-secure memories and resources. These security states are orthogonal to the existing Thread and Handler modes, enabling both a Thread and Handler mode in both Secure and Non-secure states.
Thread mode can also be either Privileged or Unprivileged.
If the Security Extension is implemented, the system starts up in Secure state by default.
If the Security Extension is not implemented, the system is always in Non-secure state.
ARM TrustZone technology does not cover all aspects of security. For example, it does not include cryptography
In designs with the ARMv8-M architecture Security Extension, components that are critical to the security of the system such can be placed in the Secure world. These critical components include:
• A Secure boot loader.
• Secret keys.
• Flash programming support.
• High value assets.
Secure (Trusted) and Non-secure (Non-trusted) software can work together, but Non-secure applications cannot access Secure resources directly. Instead, any access to Secure resources can go through APIs provided by Secure software, and these APIs can implement authentications to decide if the access to the Secure service is permitted. By having this arrangement, even if there are vulnerabilities in the Non-secure applications, hackers cannot compromise the whole chip.

NSC is a special type of Secure location. This type of memory is the only type which an ARMv8-M processor permits to hold an SG(secure gateway) instruction that enables software to transition from Non-secure to Secure state. The inclusion of NSC memory locations removes the need for Secure software creators to allow for the accidental inclusion of SG instructions, or data sharing encoding values, in normal Secure memory by restricting the functionality of the SG instruction to NSC memory only.

Memory Space divided into
S -> Secure
NSC -> Non Secure Calleable -> the SG (secure gateway instruction) can only be placed in this region.
NS -> Non-secure.



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