A computer system includes a processor which may initialize a secure
execution mode by executing a security initialization instruction.
Further, the processor may operate in the secure execution mode by
executing a secure operating system code segment. The computer system
also includes an input/output (I/O) interface coupled to the processor
via an I/O link. The I/O interface may receive transactions performed as
a result of the execution of the security initialization instruction. The
transactions include at least a portion of the secure operating system
code segment. The I/O interface may also determine whether the processor
is a source of the transactions. The computer system further includes a
security services processor coupled to the I/O interface via a peripheral
bus. The I/O interface may convey the transactions to the security
services processor dependent upon determining that the processor is the
source of the transactions.