1. An apparatus providing for a secure execution environment, comprising: a microprocessor, configured to execute non-secure application programs and a secure application program, wherein said non-secure application programs are accessed from a system memory via a system bus, said microprocessor comprising: a plurality of timers which are visible and accessible only by said secure application program when executing in a secure execution mode; and a secure non-volatile memory, coupled to said microprocessor via a private bus, configured to store said secure application program, wherein transactions over said private bus between said microprocessor and said secure non-volatile memory are isolated from said system bus and corresponding system bus resources within said microprocessor.