Preventing unauthorized translated access using address signing

Abstract

A host may use address translation to convert virtual addresses to physical addresses for endpoints, which may then submit memory access requests for physical addresses. The host may incorporate the physical address and a signature of the physical address generated using a private key into a translated address field of a response to a translation request. An endpoint may treat the combination as a translated address by storing it in an entry of a translation cache, and accessing the entry for inclusion in a memory access request. The host may generate a signature of the translated address from the request using the private key, with the result being compared to the signature from the request. The memory access request may be verified when the compared values match, and the memory access may be performed using the translated address.