Patent ID: 8028174
Filing Date: 2011-09-27
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling update of content in a programmable read-only memory in a system, comprising: determining a security status associated with the system, the security status being one of a secure mode and a non-secure mode, wherein determining the security status associated with the system comprises determining the security status by a security module that monitors a type of software executing in the system, wherein the security module sets the security status to the secure mode in response to the security module detecting that the type of software includes firmware instructions executing in the system, wherein the security module changes the security status to the non-secure mode in response to the security module detecting that the type of software includes operating system instructions executing in the system; in response to detecting that the system is in the secure mode, enabling a write to the programmable read-only memory; and in response to detecting that the security status is in the non-secure mode, disabling a write to the programmable read-only memory.