Patent ID: 8065521

Claim:
A secure processor for a computing device, the processor being operable in a normal mode and a preferred mode, the processor including a security kernel for being instantiated on the processor when the processor enters into the preferred mode upon power-up and a security key accessible by the instantiated security kernel when the processor is operating in the preferred mode, the security kernel instantiating a chooser application, wherein a persistent chooser application value for the chooser application is stored in persistent memory; the processor entering the normal mode and the chooser application operative to accept an application selection input value; the chooser application placing the application selection input value into persistent memory and automatically initiating a non-power-up processor reset operation; the processor entering the preferred mode upon completion of the processor reset operation; and the security kernel employing the accessed security key during the preferred mode to authenticate an application corresponding to the persistent chooser application selection input value on the computing device, and upon processor reset the security kernel instantiating the application corresponding to the persistent chooser application selection input value, wherein the processor enters the normal mode and the instantiated application runs, and wherein the security kernel allows the processor to be trusted to keep hidden a secret of the instantiated application.