Managing access to content in a data processing apparatus

Abstract

A data processing apparatus and method are provided for managing access to content within the data processing apparatus. The data processing apparatus has a secure domain and a non-secure domain and comprises at least one device which is operable when seeking to access content stored in memory to issue a memory access request pertaining to either the secure domain or the non-secure domain. Further, writeable memory is provided which can store content required by the at least one device, with the writeable memory having at least one read only region whose content is stored therein under control of a secure task, the secure task being a task executed by one of the devices in the secure domain. Protection logic is then used in association with the writeable memory, which on receipt of a memory access request seeking to access content in the at least one read only region, prevents access to that read only region if that memory access request pertains to the non-secure domain and is seeking to write content to the read only region. This enables the speed, power and flexibility benefits of placing content in writeable memory to be achieved without prejudicing the security of that content, by ensuring that that content cannot be modified from the non-secure domain.