US Patent 7636858 Management of a trusted cryptographic processor

In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a trusted cryptographic processor that includes at least one functional unit. The trusted cryptographic processor also includes a controller to receive a primitive instruction that identifies which of the at least one functional unit is to perform an operation, wherein the controller is to reduce power to the at least one functional unit that is not identified by the primitive instruction. The apparatus includes a trusted power management unit to supply the power based on control from the controller, wherein the control is independent of a processor that is not in a trusted state.