Mobile communication device and method of operating thereof

• US 10,244,578 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2018
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Stern, Allon Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Huang, Wen W
• Application Number:
  US16/045,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20180359810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 244 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/086 using security domains
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A mobile communication device is provided. The mobile communication device includes a housing and an input device operable with the housing. Actuating the input device enables a user to at least one of change and verify an operational status of the mobile communication device. The mobile communication device also includes an indicator coupled in communication with said input device and configured to provide feedback to the user based on the operational status of the mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device having a plurality of operational statuses, said device comprising:

a housing; and

a processor configured to;

execute a first persona that includes a first virtualized operating system and a first trusted execution environment that has direct access to a first hardware trust anchor and a first subscriber identity module card;

execute a second persona that includes a second virtualized operating system and a second trusted execution environment that has direct access to a second hardware trust anchor that is different from the first hardware trust anchor and a second subscriber identity module card that is different from the first subscriber identity module card; and

associate a focus of the mobile communication device with one of the first persona and the second persona, wherein the associated persona is an active persona such that a user may interact with the active persona on the mobile communication device and may communicate via the associated subscriber identity module card.

2. The mobile communication device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first virtualized operating system and said second virtualized operating system are coupled in communication with a third operating system executed by said mobile communication device, wherein said third operating system is a security supervisor that stores and executes security policies.

3. The mobile communication device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a hardware button coupled to said housing, wherein actuating said hardware button causes the processor to display root of trust information to confirm that the mobile communication device is in a trusted state.

4. The mobile communication device in accordance with claim 3, wherein the root of trust information comprises root of trust information for at least one of the mobile communication device and a persona running on the mobile communication device.

5. The mobile communication device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a first LED indicator and a second LED indicator coupled to said housing, said first LED indicator configured to be activated when the first persona is in focus, and said second LED indicator configured to be activated when the second persona is in focus.

6. The mobile communication device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a first trusted platform module that enables uncertified hardware accelerated cryptography.

7. The mobile communication device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first trusted execution environment accesses cryptographic services on behalf of the first virtualized operating system without exposing the first virtualized operating system to a plaintext key.

8. The mobile communication device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first hardware trust anchor includes a trusted platform module that signs digital assets using a cryptographic certificate.

9. A method of operating a mobile communication device having a plurality of operational statuses and that includes a housing, said method comprising:

executing a first persona that includes a first virtualized operating system and a first trusted execution environment that has direct access to a first hardware trust anchor and a first subscriber identity module card;

executing a second persona that includes a second virtualized operating system and a second trusted execution environment that has direct access to a second hardware trust anchor that is different from the first hardware trust anchor and a second subscriber identity module card that is different from the first subscriber identity module card; and

associating a focus of the mobile communication device with one of the first persona and the second persona, wherein the associated persona is an active persona such that a user may interact with the active persona on the mobile communication device and may communicate via the associated subscriber identity module card.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising executing a third operating system that is coupled in communication with the first virtualized operating system and the second virtualized operating system, wherein the third operating system is a security supervisor that stores and executes security policies.

11. The method in accordance with claim 9 further comprising attesting to a physical presence of the user relative to the mobile communication device upon receiving an indication of actuation.

12. The method in accordance with claim 9 further comprising activating a first visual LED indicator when the first persona is in focus and activating a second visual LED indicator when the second persona is in focus.

13. The method in accordance with claim 9 further comprising:

requesting the user to input credentials into the mobile communication device;

receiving an indication of actuation after prompting the user; and

displaying root of trust information upon receiving the indication of actuation.

14. The method in accordance with claim 9 further comprising:

requesting the user to input credentials into the mobile communication device, wherein an indication of actuation is received after prompting the user; and

activating at least one visual LED indicator in a predetermined configuration upon receiving the indication of actuation.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions thereon for operating a mobile communication device having a plurality of operational statuses and that includes a processor and a housing, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

execute a first persona that includes a first virtualized operating system and a first trusted execution environment that has direct access to a first hardware trust anchor and a first subscriber identity module card; and

execute a second persona that includes a second virtualized operating system and a second trusted execution environment that has direct access to a second hardware trust anchor that is different from the first hardware trust anchor and a second subscriber identity module card that is different from the first subscriber identity module card; and

associate a focus of the mobile communication device with one of the first persona and the second persona, wherein the associated persona is an active persona such that a user may interact with the active persona on the mobile communication device and may communicate via the associated subscriber identity module card.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium in accordance with claim 15 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the processor to-execute a third operating system that is coupled in communication with the first virtualized operating system and the second virtualized operating system, wherein the third operating system is a security supervisor that stores and executes security policies.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium in accordance with claim 15 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the processor to:

activate a first visual indicator when the first persona is in focus; and

activate a second visual indicator when the second persona is in focus.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium in accordance with claim 15 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the processor to display root of trust information while requesting a response to input user credentials into the mobile communication device.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium in accordance with claim 15 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the processor to attest to a physical presence of the user relative to the mobile communication device when a single hardware button is actuated.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium in accordance with claim 15 further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the processor to isolate a single hardware button and an indicator such that the single hardware button and the indicator are inaccessible from untrusted code running on the mobile communication device.