TSEC

TSEC (Tegra Security Engine Controller) is a NVIDIA Falcon microprocessor with crypto extensions. Therefore, all information in this page related to Falcon is identical for TSEC and vice versa.

Driver

A host driver for communicating with the TSEC/Falcon is mapped to physical address 0x54500000 with a total size of 0x40000 bytes and exposes several registers.

Registers

Name	Address	Width
FALCON_IRQMSET	0x54501010	0x04
FALCON_IRQDEST	0x5450101C	0x04
FALCON_SCRATCH0	0x54501040	0x04
FALCON_SCRATCH1	0x54501044	0x04
FALCON_ITFEN	0x54501048	0x04
FALCON_CPUCTL	0x54501100	0x04
FALCON_BOOTVEC	0x54501104	0x04
FALCON_DMACTL	0x5450110C	0x04
FALCON_DMATRFBASE	0x54501110	0x04
FALCON_DMATRFMOFFS	0x54501114	0x04
FALCON_DMATRFCMD	0x54501118	0x04
FALCON_DMATRFFBOFFS	0x5450111C	0x04

FALCON_IRQMSET

Used for configuring Falcon's IRQs.

FALCON_IRQDEST

Used for configuring Falcon's IRQs.

FALCON_SCRATCH0

MMIO register for reading/writing data to Falcon.

FALCON_SCRATCH1

MMIO register for reading/writing data to Falcon.

FALCON_ITFEN

Bits	Description
0	FALCON_ITFEN_CTXEN
1	FALCON_ITFEN_MTHDEN

Used for enabling/disabling Falcon interfaces.

FALCON_CPUCTL

Bits	Description
0	FALCON_CPUCTL_STARTCPU

Used for signaling Falcon's CPU.

FALCON_BOOTVEC

Takes the Falcon's boot vector address.

FALCON_DMACTL

Bits	Description
1	FALCON_DMACTL_DMEM_SCRUBBING
2	FALCON_DMACTL_IMEM_SCRUBBING

Used for configuring the Falcon's DMA engine.

FALCON_DMATRFBASE

Takes the host's base address for transferring data to/from the Falcon (DMA).

FALCON_DMATRFMOFFS

Takes the offset for the host's source memory being transferred.

FALCON_DMATRFCMD

Bits	Description
1	FALCON_DMATRFCMD_IDLE (this is set if the engine is idle)
4	FALCON_DMATRFCMD_IMEM
9-10	FALCON_DMATRFCMD_SIZE_256B

Used for configuring DMA transfers.

FALCON_DMATRFFBOFFS

Takes the offset for Falcon's target memory being transferred.

Boot Process

TSEC is configured and initialized by the first bootloader during key generation (sub_400114FC).

Initialization

During this stage several clocks are programmed.

// Program the HOST1X clock and resets
// Uses RST_DEVICES_L, CLK_OUT_ENB_L, CLK_SOURCE_HOST1X and CLK_L_HOST1X
enable_host1x_clkrst();

// Program the TSEC clock and resets
// Uses RST_DEVICES_U, CLK_OUT_ENB_U, CLK_SOURCE_TSEC and CLK_U_TSEC
enable_tsec_clkrst();

// Program the SOR_SAFE clock and resets
// Uses RST_DEVICES_Y, CLK_OUT_ENB_Y and CLK_Y_SOR_SAFE
enable_sor_safe_clkrst();

// Program the SOR0 clock and resets
// Uses RST_DEVICES_X, CLK_OUT_ENB_X and CLK_X_SOR0
enable_sor0_clkrst();

// Program the SOR1 clock and resets
// Uses RST_DEVICES_X, CLK_OUT_ENB_X, CLK_SOURCE_SOR1 and CLK_X_SOR1
enable_sor1_clkrst();

// Program the KFUSE clock resets
// Uses RST_DEVICES_H, CLK_OUT_ENB_H and CLK_H_KFUSE
enable_kfuse_clkrst();

Configuration

In this stage the Falcon IRQs, interfaces and DMA engine are configured.

// Clear the Falcon DMA control register
*(u32 *)FALCON_DMACTL = 0;

// Enable Falcon IRQs
*(u32 *)FALCON_IRQMSET = 0xFFF2;

// Enable Falcon IRQs
*(u32 *)FALCON_IRQDEST = 0xFFF0;

// Enable Falcon interfaces
*(u32 *)FALCON_ITFEN = 0x03;

// Wait for Falcon's DMA engine to be idle
wait_flcn_dma_idle();

Firmware loading

The Falcon firmware code is stored in the first bootloader's data segment in IMEM.

// Set DMA transfer base address to 0x40011900 >> 0x08
*(u32 *)FALCON_DMATRFBASE = 0x400119;

u32 trf_mode = 0;     // A value of 0 sets FALCON_DMATRFCMD_IMEM
u32 dst_offset = 0;
u32 src_offset = 0;

// Load code into Falcon (0x100 bytes at a time)
while (src_offset < 0xF00)
{
   flcn_load_firm(trf_mode, src_offset, dst_offset);
   src_offset += 0x100;
   dst_offset += 0x100;
}

Firmware booting

Falcon is booted up and the first bootloader waits for it to finish.

// Set host1x sync config
*(u32 *)0x50003300 = 0x34C2E1DA;

// Clear Falcon scratch1 MMIO
*(u32 *)FALCON_SCRATCH1 = 0;

// Set Falcon boot key version in scratch0 MMIO
*(u32 *)FALCON_SCRATCH0 = 0x01;

// Set Falcon's boot vector address
*(u32 *)FALCON_BOOTVEC = 0;

// Signal Falcon's CPU
*(u32 *)FALCON_CPUCTL = 0x02;

// Wait for Falcon's DMA engine to be idle
wait_flcn_dma_idle();

u32 boot_res = 0;

// The bootloader allows the TSEC two seconds from this point to do its job
u32 maximum_time = read_timer() + 2000000; 

while (!boot_res)
{
   // Read boot result from scratch1 MMIO
   boot_res = *(u32 *)FALCON_SCRATCH1;
   
   // Read from TIMERUS_CNTR_1US (microseconds from boot)
   u32 current_time = read_timer();
   
   // Booting is taking too long
   if (current_time > maximum_time)
      panic();
}

// Invalid boot result was returned
if (boot_res != 0xB0B0B0B0)
   panic();

Keygen

The Falcon device key is generated by reading SOR registers modified by Falcon.

// Clear host1x sync config
*(u32 *)0x50003300 = 0;

// Generate Falcon device key
u32 falcon_device_key[4]; 
falcon_device_key[0] = *(u32 *)NV_SOR_DP_HDCP_BKSV_LSB;
falcon_device_key[1] = *(u32 *)NV_SOR_TMDS_HDCP_BKSV_LSB;
falcon_device_key[2] = *(u32 *)NV_SOR_TMDS_HDCP_CN_MSB;
falcon_device_key[3] = *(u32 *)NV_SOR_TMDS_HDCP_CN_LSB;

// Clear SOR registers
*(u32 *)NV_SOR_DP_HDCP_BKSV_LSB = 0;
*(u32 *)NV_SOR_TMDS_HDCP_BKSV_LSB = 0;
*(u32 *)NV_SOR_TMDS_HDCP_CN_MSB = 0;
*(u32 *)NV_SOR_TMDS_HDCP_CN_LSB = 0;

if (out_size < 0x10)
   out_size = 0x10;

// Copy back the Falcon key
memcpy(out_buf, falcon_device_key, out_size);

Cleanup

Clocks and resets are disabled before returning.

// Deprogram KFUSE clock and resets
// Uses RST_DEVICES_H, CLK_OUT_ENB_H and CLK_H_KFUSE
disable_kfuse_clkrst();

// Deprogram SOR1 clock and resets
// Uses RST_DEVICES_X, CLK_OUT_ENB_X, CLK_SOURCE_SOR1 and CLK_X_SOR1
disable_sor1_clkrst();

// Deprogram SOR0 clock and resets
// Uses RST_DEVICES_X, CLK_OUT_ENB_X and CLK_X_SOR0
disable_sor0_clkrst();

// Deprogram SOR_SAFE clock and resets
// Uses RST_DEVICES_Y, CLK_OUT_ENB_Y and CLK_Y_SOR_SAFE
disable_sor_safe_clkrst();

// Deprogram TSEC clock and resets
// Uses RST_DEVICES_U, CLK_OUT_ENB_U, CLK_SOURCE_TSEC and CLK_U_TSEC
disable_tsec_clkrst();

// Deprogram HOST1X clock and resets
// Uses RST_DEVICES_L, CLK_OUT_ENB_L, CLK_SOURCE_HOST1X and CLK_L_HOST1X
disable_host1x_clkrst();

return;

TSEC Firmware

The actual code loaded into TSEC is assembled in NVIDIA's proprietary fuc5 ISA using crypto extensions. Stored inside the first bootloader, this firmware binary is split into 4 blobs: Stage0, Stage1, Stage2 and key data.

Firmware can be disassembled with envytools' envydis:

envydis -i tsec_fw.bin -m falcon -V fuc5 -F crypt

Note that the instruction set has variable length instructions, and the disassembler is not very good at detecting locations it should start disassembling from. One needs to disassemble multiple sub-regions and join them together.

Stage 0

During this stage key data is loaded and Stage 1 is authenticated, loaded and executed. Before returning, this stage writes back to the host (using MMIO registers) and sets the device key used by the first bootloader.

Initialization

Falcon sets up it's own stack pointer.

// Read data segment size from IO space
u32 data_seg_size = *(u32 *)UC_CAPS;
data_seg_size >>= 0x09;
data_seg_size &= 0x1FF;
data_seg_size <<= 0x08;

// Set the stack pointer
*(u32 *)sp = data_seg_size;

Stage 1 loading

u32 boot_base_addr = 0;
u32 key_data_buf[0x7C];

// Read the key data from memory
u32 key_data_addr = 0x300;
u32 key_data_size = 0x7C;
read_code(key_data_buf, key_data_addr, key_data_size);

// Read the next code segment into boot base
u32 blob1_addr = 0x400;
u32 blob1_size = *(u32 *)(key_data_buf + 0x74);
read_code(boot_base_addr, blob1_addr, blob1_size);

// Upload the next code segment into Falcon's CODE region
u32 blob1_virt_addr = 0x300;
bool use_secret = true;
upload_code(blob1_virt_addr, boot_base_addr, blob1_size, blob1_virt_addr, use_secret);

u32 boot_res = 0;
bool is_done = false;
u32 time = 0;
bool is_blob_dec = false;

while (!is_done)
{
   if (time > 4000000)
   {
      // Write boot failed (timeout) magic to FALCON_SCRATCH1
      boot_res = 0xC0C0C0C0;
      *(u32 *)FALCON_SCRATCH1 = boot_res;
      
      break;
   }
   
   // Load key version from FALCON_SCRATCH0 (bootloader sends 0x01)
   u32 key_version = *(u32 *)FALCON_SCRATCH0;

   if (key_version == 0x64)
   {
      // Skip all next stages
      boot_res = 0xB0B0B0B0;
      *(u32 *)FALCON_SCRATCH1 = boot_res;
      
      break;
   }
   else
   {
      if (key_version > 0x03)
         boot_res = 0xD0D0D0D0;    // Invalid key version
      else if (key_version == 0)
         boot_res = 0xB0B0B0B0;    // No keys used
      else
      {
         u32 key_buf[0x7C];
         
         // Copy key data
         memcpy(key_buf, key_data_buf, 0x7C);

         u32 crypt_reg_flag = 0x00060000;
         u32 blob1_hash_addr = key_buf + 0x20; 

         // fuc5 crypt cauth instruction
         // Set auth_addr to 0x300 and auth_size to blob1_size
         cauth((blob1_size << 0x10) | (0x300 >> 0x08));

         // fuc5 crypt cxset instruction
         // The next 2 xfer instructions will be overridden
         // and target changes from DMA to crypto
         cxset(0x02);
         
         // Transfer data to crypto register c6
	 xdst(0, (blob1_hash_addr | crypt_reg_flag));
	  			
	 // Wait for all data loads/stores to finish
	 xdwait();
         
         // Jump to Stage1
         u32 stage1_res = exec_stage1(key_buf, key_version, is_blob_dec);
         is_blob_dec = true;  // Set this to prevent decrypting again

         // Set boot finish magic on success
	  if (stage1_res == 0)
            boot_res = 0xB0B0B0B0
      }
      
      // Write result to FALCON_SCRATCH1
      *(u32 *)FALCON_SCRATCH1 = boot_res;

      if (boot_res == 0xB0B0B0B0)
         is_done = true;
   }

   time++;
}

// Write Falcon device key to registers
set_device_key(key_data_buf);

return boot_res;

Stage 1

This stage is responsible for reconfiguring the Falcon's crypto co-processor and loading, decrypting, authenticating and executing Stage 2.

Crypto setup

// Clear interrupt flags
*(u8 *)flags_ie0 = 0;
*(u8 *)flags_ie1 = 0;
*(u8 *)flags_ie2 = 0;

// fuc5 crypt cxset instruction
// Clear overrides?
cxset(0x80);

// fuc5 crypt cauth instruction
// Clear auth_addr
cauth(cauth_old & 0x7FFFF);

// Set the target port for memory transfers
// Target will now be 0 (crypto?)
xtargets(0);

// Wait for all data loads/stores to finish
xdwait();

// Wait for all code loads to finish
xcwait();

// fuc5 crypt cxset instruction
// The next 2 xfer instructions will be overridden
// and target changes from DMA to crypto
cxset(0x02);

// Transfer data to crypto register c0
// This should clear any leftover data
xdst(0, 0);

// Wait for all data loads/stores to finish
xdwait();

// Clear all crypto registers, except c6 which is used for auth
*(u32 *)c0 ^= *(u32 *)c0;
*(u32 *)c1 = *(u32 *)c0;
*(u32 *)c2 = *(u32 *)c0;
*(u32 *)c3 = *(u32 *)c0;
*(u32 *)c4 = *(u32 *)c0;
*(u32 *)c5 = *(u32 *)c0;
*(u32 *)c7 = *(u32 *)c0;

// Update engine specific IO (crypto?)
*(u32 *)0x00020E00 &= 0xEFFFF;

// Update engine specific IO (crypto?)
*(u32 *)0x00010600 |= 0x01;

u32 wait_10600 = 0;

// Wait for some device
while (wait_10600 == 0)
   wait_10600 = (*(u32 *)0x00010600 & 0x02);

// Read data segment size from IO space
u32 data_seg_size = *(u32 *)UC_CAPS;
data_seg_size >>= 0x09;
data_seg_size &= 0x1FF;
data_seg_size <<= 0x08;

// Check stack bounds
if ((*(u32 *)sp >= data_seg_size) || (*(u32 *)sp < 0x800))
  return;

// Decrypt and load Stage2
load_stage2(key_buf, key_version, is_blob_dec);

// Partially unknown fuc5 instruction
// Likely forces propagation of permissions, hiding all cX registers 
acl_chmod(c0, c0);

// Clear all crypto registers and propagate permissions
*(u32 *)c0 ^= *(u32 *)c0;
*(u32 *)c1 ^= *(u32 *)c1;
*(u32 *)c2 ^= *(u32 *)c2;
*(u32 *)c3 ^= *(u32 *)c3;
*(u32 *)c4 ^= *(u32 *)c4;
*(u32 *)c5 ^= *(u32 *)c5;
*(u32 *)c6 ^= *(u32 *)c6;
*(u32 *)c7 ^= *(u32 *)c7;

// Exit Authenticated Mode
*(u32 *)0x00010300 = 0;

return;

Stage 2 loading

u32 res = 0;

u32 boot_base_addr = 0;
u32 blob0_addr = 0;
u32 blob0_size = *(u32 *)(key_buf + 0x70); 

// Load blob0 code again
read_code(boot_base_addr, blob0_addr, blob0_size);

// Generate "CODE_SIG_01" key into c4 crypto register
keygen(0, 0);

// Encrypt buffer with c4
u32 sig_key[0x10];
enc_buf(sig_key, blob0_size);

u32 src_addr = boot_base_addr;
u32 src_size = blob0_size;
u32 iv_addr = sig_key;
u32 dst_addr = sig_key;
u32 mode = 0x02;   // AES-CMAC
u32 version = 0;

// Do AES-CMAC over blob0 code
do_crypto(src_addr, src_size, iv_addr, dst_addr, mode, version);

// Compare the hashes
if (memcmp(sig_key, key_buf + 0x10, 0x10))
{
  res = 0xDEADBEEF;
  return res;
}

u32 blob1_size = *(u32 *)(key_buf + 0x74);

// Decrypt Stage2 blob if needed
if (!is_blob_dec)
{
   // Read Stage2's size from key buffer
   u32 blob2_size = *(u32 *)(key_buf + 0x78);

   // Check stack bounds
   if (*(u32 *)sp > blob2_size)
   {
      u32 boot_base_addr = 0;
      u32 blob2_virt_addr = blob0_size + blob1_size;
      u32 blob2_addr = blob2_virt_addr + 0x100;
      
      // Read Stage2's encrypted blob
      read_code(boot_base_addr, blob2_addr, blob2_size);

      // Generate "CODE_ENC_01" key into c4 crypt register
      keygen(0x01, 0x01);
      
      u32 src_addr = boot_base_addr;
      u32 src_size = blob2_size;
      u32 iv_addr = key_buf + 0x40;
      u32 dst_addr = boot_base_addr;
      u32 mode = 0;   // AES-128-ECB
      u32 version = 0;
      
      // Decrypt Stage2
      do_crypto(src_addr, src_size, iv_addr, dst_addr, mode, version);
      
      // Upload the next code segment into Falcon's CODE region
      bool use_secret = true;
      upload_code(blob2_virt_addr, boot_base_addr, blob2_size, blob2_virt_addr, use_secret);

      // Clear out the decrypted blob
      memset(boot_base_addr, 0, blob2_size);
   }
}

// fuc5 crypt cxset instruction
// The next 2 xfer instructions will be overridden
// and target changes from DMA to crypto
cxset(0x02);

u32 crypt_reg_flag = 0x00060000;
u32 blob2_hash_addr = key_buf + 0x30;

// Transfer data to crypto register c6
xdst(0, (blob2_hash_addr | crypt_reg_flag));
				
// Wait for all data loads/stores to finish
xdwait();

// Save previous cauth value
u32 c_old = cauth_old;

// fuc5 crypt cauth instruction
// Set auth_addr to blob2_virt_addr and auth_size to blob2_size
cauth((blob2_virt_addr >> 0x08) | (blob2_size << 0x10));

u32 hovi_key_addr = 0;

// Select next stage key
if (key_version == 0x01)		// Use HOVI_EKS_01
  hovi_key_addr = key_buf + 0x50;
else if (key_version == 0x02)	        // Use HOVI_COMMON_01
  hovi_key_addr = key_buf + 0x60;
else if (key_version == 0x03)	        // Use device key
  hovi_key_addr = key_buf + 0x00;
else
  res = 0xD0D0D0D0
	
// Jump to Stage2
if (hovi_key_addr)
  res = exec_stage2(hovi_key_addr, key_version);
         
// Clear out key data
memset(key_buf, 0, 0x7C);

// fuc5 crypt cauth instruction
// Restore previous cauth value
cauth(c_old);

return res;

Stage 2

This stage is decrypted by Stage 1 using an hardware secret (HOVI == Horizon VI?).

Key data

Small buffer stored after Stage 0's code and used across all stages.

Offset	Size	Description
0x00	0x10	Device key
0x10	0x10	blob0 auth hash
0x20	0x10	blob1 auth hash
0x30	0x10	blob2 auth hash
0x40	0x10	blob2 AES IV
0x50	0x10	HOVI eks seed
0x60	0x10	HOVI common seed
0x70	0x04	blob0 size
0x74	0x04	blob1 size
0x78	0x04	blob2 size

Notes

mwk shared additional info learned from RE of falcon processors over the years, which hasn't made it into envytools documentation yet:

cxset

cxset instruction provides a way to change behavior of a variable amount of successively executed DMA-related instructions.

for example: 000000de: f4 3c 02 cxset 0x2

can be read as: dma_override(type=crypto_reg, count=2)

The argument to cxset specifies the type of behavior change in the top 3 bits, and the number of DMA-related instructions the effect lasts for in the lower 5 bits.

Override Types

Unlisted values are unknown, but probably do something.

Value	Effect
0b000	falcon data mem <-> falcon $cX register
0b001	external mem <-> crypto input/output stream

DMA-Related Instructions

At least the following instructions may have changed behavior, and count against the cxset "count" argument: xdwait, xdst, xdld.

For example, if override type=0b000, then the "length" argument to xdst is instead treated as the index of the target $cX register.

Register ACLs

Falcon tracks permission metadata about each crypto reg. Permissions include read/write ability per execution mode, as well as ability to use the reg for encrypt/decrypt, among other permissions. Permissions are propagated when registers are referenced by instructions (e.g. moving a value from read-protected $cX to $cY will result in $cY also being read-protected).

Authenticated Mode Entry/Exit

Entry to Authenticated Mode always sets $pc to the address supplied in $cauth (ie the base of the signature-checked region). This takes effect when trying to branch to any address within the range covered by $cauth. Entry to Authenticated Mode (also called "Secure Mode") computes a MAC over the $cauth region and compares it to $c6 in order to perform the signature check.

Exit from Authenticated Mode must poke a special register (this seems to be I[0x10300] = 0) before leaving authenticated code pages. Failure to do this would result in the Falcon core halting.