Challenge-response method and associated computing device

• US 10,461,944 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2014
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Irdeto B.V. (MultiChoice Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Irdeto B.V. (MultiChoice Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Wajs, Andrew Augustine, Ciordas, Calin, Zhang, Fan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tabor, Amare F
• Application Number:
  US15/515,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20170310488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• Field of Search: 713168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1011 to devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2103 Challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0816 Key establishment, i.e. cryptographic processes or cryptographic protocols whereby a shared secret becomes available to two or more parties, for subsequent use
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467

Abstract

There is described a challenge-response method for a computing device. The method comprises steps of: (a) receiving challenge data at a secured module of the computing device, the challenge data comprising image content encrypted using an encryption key, and the image content including a nonce; (b) the secured module recovering the image content through decryption using one or more keys associated with the encryption key; (c) the secured module of the computing device outputting the recovered image content; (d) capturing the image content as output by the secured module; (e) processing the captured image content so as to obtain the nonce; and (f) providing the nonce as a response. There is also described a computing device arranged to carry out the challenge-response method, a computer program for causing a processor to carry out the challenge-response method, and a computer readable medium storing such a computer program.

Claims

1. A challenge-response method for a computing device, the method being implemented by one or more processors and comprising steps of:

receiving challenge data at a secured module of the computing device, the challenge data comprising image content encrypted using an encryption key, and the image content including a nonce;

the secured module recovering the image content through decryption using one or more keys associated with the encryption key;

the secured module of the computing device outputting the recovered image content;

capturing the image content as output by the secured module;

processing the captured image content so as to obtain the nonce; and

providing the nonce as a response.

2. The challenge-response method of claim 1 wherein the challenge data further comprises a rights object including usage rules relating to the image content, and the secured module is operable to output the recovered image content in accordance with the usage rules.

3. The challenge-response method of claim 2 wherein the challenge data further comprises an encrypted version of at least one of the one or more keys associated with the encryption key, and the method further comprises the secured module recovering said at least one key through decryption.

4. The challenge-response method of claim 3 wherein the encrypted version of said at least one key is provided in the rights object.

5. The challenge-response method of claim 1 further comprising receiving the challenge data from another computing device.

6. The challenge-response method of claim 1 further comprising:

using secured software on the computing device to generate the challenge data by encrypting the image content using the encryption key.

7. The challenge-response method of claim 6 further comprising:

using secured software on the computing device to generate the image content based on the nonce.

8. The challenge-response method of claim 7 wherein the image content is generated by including the nonce in pre-existing image content.

9. The challenge-response method of claim 7 wherein the image content is generated by converting the nonce into an image.

10. The challenge-response method of claim 1 wherein the challenge data comprises video content including said image content.

11. The challenge-response method of claim 1 further comprising rendering the image content as output by the secured module.

12. The challenge-response method of claim 11 wherein the rendering is performed using a media player application on the computing device.

13. The challenge-response method of claim 11 wherein the rendering comprises rendering such that the image content is not observable to an end user of the computing device.

14. The challenge-response method of claim 1 wherein the capturing comprises screen scraping or data scraping.

15. The challenge-response method of claim 1 wherein the capturing comprises directly accessing the image content as output by the secured module.

16. A computing device comprising a secured module and one or more processors arranged to carry out a challenge-response method by:

receiving challenge data at the secured module of the computing device, the challenge data comprising image content encrypted using an encryption key, and the image content including a nonce;

the secured module recovering the image content through decryption using one or more keys associated with the encryption key;

the secured module of the computing device outputting the recovered image content;

capturing the image content as output by the secured module;

processing the captured image content so as to obtain the nonce; and

providing the nonce as a response.

17. One or more non-transitory tangible computer readable media comprising computer program code which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to carry out a challenge-response method for a computing by:

receiving challenge data at a secured module of the computing device, the challenge data comprising image content encrypted using an encryption key, and the image content including a nonce;

the secured module recovering the image content through decryption using one or more keys associated with the encryption key;

the secured module of the computing device outputting the recovered image content;

capturing the image content as output by the secured module;

processing the captured image content so as to obtain the nonce; and

providing the nonce as a response.