AUTHENTICATED DEBUG ACCESS FOR FIELD RETURNS

摘要

Under the direction of a first party, an integrated circuit (IC) device (202) is configured to temporarily enable access to a debug interface (216) of the IC device (202) via authentication of the first party by a challenge/response process using a key (321, 322) of the IC device (202) and a challenge value (324) generated at the IC device (202). The first party then may conduct a software evaluation of the IC device (202) via the debug interface (216). In response to failing to identify an issue with the IC device (202) from the software evaluation, the first party can permanently enable open access to the debug interface (216) while authenticated and provide the IC device (202) to a second party. Under the direction of the second party, a hardware evaluation of the IC device (202) is conducted via the debug interface (216) that was permanently opened by the first party.