User guide

Memory Protection Unit
ARM DDI 0337I Copyright © 2005-2008, 2010 ARM Limited. All rights reserved. 5-2
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5.1 About the MPU
The MPU is an optional component for memory protection. The processor supports the standard
ARMv7 Protected Memory System Architecture model. The MPU provides full support for:
• protection regions
• overlapping protection regions, with ascending region priority:
— 7 = highest priority
— 0 = lowest priority.
• access permissions
• exporting memory attributes to the system.
MPU mismatches and permission violations invoke the programmable-priority MemManage
fault handler. See the ARMv7-M Architecture Reference Manual for more information.
You can use the MPU to:
• enforce privilege rules
• separate processes
• enforce access rules.