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Documentation about the Vampire hardware

Vamp Fgpga Security

Aksel Andersen

Posts 120
07 Apr 2017 17:43


Hi.
 
  Since the fpga can be flashed from the os. Is there some protection against malicious software? A lot of havoc could be done I guess.
 
  Ta
 
  Edit: sorry if this has been discussed before. And for that stupid title that can't be changed.. :b


Michael R

Posts 281
07 Apr 2017 20:49


Aksel Andersen wrote:

  Hi.
   
    Since the fpga can be flashed from the os. Is there some protection against malicious software? A lot of havoc could be done I guess.
   
    Ta
   
    Edit: sorry if this has been discussed before. And for that stupid title that can't be changed.. :b
 

 
  Your title is ok. I can read between the lines about "Vampire FPGA Security. ;-)
 
  That is a good question though. Not sure how any Vampire "security
  " system could be implemented. But there are some very creative developers on the Apollo Team that may come up with a solution if they feel that FPGA security may be an issue. Do we have to worry about someone maliciously flashing our Vampire card without our consent? I suppose if we are on the internet and someone gains access to our Amiga OS then that could happen.
 
Maybe, if there is a need, they could make a password protected "flash lock" that prevents anyone from updating our FPGA card using the OS without the proper password. But flashing from the Blaster would work as normal.


Aksel Andersen

Posts 120
07 Apr 2017 21:17


I am not an Fpga expert, so there might be a clever way to do this safely. But being a bit paranoid I would like to be able to flash the vamp in a "clean enviroment". In that I mean I have complete control of the process with for example a jumper to enable flashing.


Aksel Andersen

Posts 120
08 Apr 2017 07:05


No one from the team can elaborate? ;)


Nixus Minimax

Posts 416
08 Apr 2017 08:04


Well, there is some protocol to be followed for flashing the board such that flashing it by accident is not possible. However, if the core update exe can flash the board, so could a virus designed to do so. The flash could then be flashed again only via the JTAG interface, i.e. using a USB blaster.

posts 5