Gaming software authentication

• US 20030195033A1
• Filed: 04/10/2002
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Ryan, Chad A., Sylla, Craig J., Gazdic, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,226,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/201 Playing authorisation given at platform level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3234 about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00

Abstract

A method of preparing memory contents of a gaming machine for subsequent authentication and a method of authenticating the prepared memory contents are disclosed. A first memory stores a game data set and a first authentication code generated from the game data set. The game data set includes game data files and second authentication codes generated from the respective data files. A second memory stores an authentication program for authenticating the first memory'"'"'s contents, as well as a third authentication code generated from the second memory'"'"'s contents. To authenticate the memory contents, the second memory'"'"'s contents are first authenticated and, if deemed authentic, the game data set as a whole and each data file in the first memory are authenticated. The authentication process involves generating fresh authentication codes using the authentication program and comparing the fresh codes with appropriate ones of the stored authentication codes.

Claims

1. A method of preparing memory contents of a gaming machine for subsequent authentication, comprising:

generating first authentication codes from respective game data files;

storing the first authentication codes and the respective data files in one or more first memories, the first authentication codes and the respective data files being included in a game data set;

generating a second authentication code from the game data set; and

storing the game data set and the second authentication code in the one or more first memories.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating first authentication codes includes reducing each data file to a message digest and then inputting the message digest and a private key into a digital signature algorithm generation operation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating a second authentication code includes reducing the game data set to a message digest and then inputting the message digest and a private key into a digital signature algorithm generation operation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more first memories include a high capacity storage device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating first authentication codes includes reducing each game data file to a respective first message digest using a hash function and then inputting the first message digest and a private key into a digital signature algorithm generation operation, wherein the step of generating a second authentication code includes reducing the game data set to a second message digest using the hash function and then inputting the second message digest and the private key into the digital signature algorithm generation operation.

6. The method of claim 5, further including storing the hash function in a second memory.

7. The method of claim 6, further including storing a digital signature algorithm verify operation and a public key in the second memory.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second memory is a read-only memory.

9. The method of claim 8, further including generating a third authentication code from contents of the second memory, the contents including the hash function, the public key, and the digital signature algorithm verify operation, and storing the contents and the third authentication code in the second memory.

10. The method of claim 1, further including generating a third authentication code from contents of a second memory, the contents including an authentication program for authenticating the first memory, and storing the contents and the third authentication code in the second memory.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second memory is a read-only memory.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the second memory is a boot memory.

13. A method of authenticating memory contents of a gaming machine, comprising:

storing, in one or more memories, a game data set and a first authentication code generated from the game data set, the game data set including data files and second authentication codes generated from the respective data files;

storing an authentication program in the one or more memories;

generating a third authentication code from the game data set using the authentication program; and

determining the game data set is authentic if the third authentication code matches the first authentication code.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the game data set and the first authentication code are stored in a high capacity storage device, and the authentication program is stored in a read-only memory.

15. The method of claim 13, further including generating fourth authentication codes from the respective data files using the authentication program, and determining the data files are authentic if the fourth authentication codes match the respective second authentication codes.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first authentication code is generated from the game data set by reducing the game data set to a first message digest using a hash function and then inputting the first message digest and a private key into a digital signature algorithm generation operation, and wherein the step of generating a third authentication code includes reducing the game data set to a second message digest using the hash function and then inputting the second message digest and a public key into a digital signature algorithm verify operation.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of storing an authentication program in the one or more memories includes storing the hash function, the public key, and the digital signature algorithm verify operation in the one or more memories.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the game data set and the first authentication code are stored in a first memory, and the authentication program is stored in a second memory, and further including authenticating contents of the second memory prior to the step of generating a third authentication code.

19. The method of claim 18, further including storing, in the second memory, a fourth authentication code generated from the contents of the second memory, and wherein the step of authenticating contents of the second memory includes generating a fifth authentication code from the contents using the authentication program and determining the contents are authentic if the fifth authentication code matches the fourth authentication code.

20. A method of authenticating memory contents of a gaming machine, comprising:

storing, in a high capacity storage device, a game data set including a plurality of data files;

storing, in a boot memory, contents including an authentication program;

authenticating the contents of the boot memory; and

after authenticating the contents of the boot memory, authenticating the game data set as a whole and each data file.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the boot memory is a read-only memory.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of storing contents includes storing a first authentication code generated from the contents.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of authenticating the contents includes generating a second authentication code from the contents using the authentication program, and determining the contents are authentic if the second authentication code matches the first authentication code.

24. The method of claim 20, further including storing, in the high capacity storage device, a first authentication code generated from the game data set and storing second authentication codes generated from the respective data files, the game data set including the data files and their respective second authentication codes.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of authenticating the game data set as a whole and each data file includes:

generating a third authentication code from the game data set using the authentication program;

determining the game data set is authentic if the third authentication code matches the first authentication code;

generating fourth authentication codes from the respective data files using the authentication program; and

determining the data files are authentic if the fourth authentication codes match the respective second authentication codes.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of authenticating the game data set as a whole and each data file includes authenticating the data files in a order listed in a manifest file stored in the high capacity storage device, the manifest file including the second authentication codes generated from the respective data files.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of authenticating the game data set as a whole and each data file includes authenticating the data files in a order listed in a manifest file stored in the high capacity storage device.

28. Computer-readable storage for a gaming machine, comprising a first memory storing a game data set and a first authentication code generated from the game data set, the game data set including a plurality of game data files and plurality of second authentication codes, the second authentication codes being generated from the respective data files.

29. The storage of claim 28, wherein the first memory is a high capacity storage device.

30. The storage of claim 28, wherein the game data set includes a manifest file listing the data files and their respective second authentication codes in an order in which the data files will be authenticated.

31. The storage of claim 28, further including a second memory storing contents, the contents including an authentication program for authenticating the first memory.

32. The storage of claim 31, wherein the second memory is a read-only memory.

33. The storage of claim 31, wherein the second memory is a boot memory.

34. The storage of claim 31, wherein the authentication program includes a hash function, a digital signature algorithm verify operation, and a public key.

35. The storage of claim 31, wherein the second memory also stores a third authentication code generated from the contents.

36. A method of preparing memory contents of a gaming machine for subsequent authentication, comprising:

compressing an uncompressed game data set;

generating an authentication code from the compressed data set; and

storing the compressed data set and the authentication code in one or more memories.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the data set is selected from a group consisting of sound files and graphics files.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of generating an authentication code includes reducing the compressed data set to a message digest and then inputting the message digest and a private key into a digital signature algorithm generation operation.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of generating an authentication code includes reducing the compressed data set to a message digest.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of storing the compressed data set and the authentication code includes storing the compressed data set and the authentication code in the same memory.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the same memory is a high capacity storage memory.

42. The method of claim 36, further including generating a second authentication code from the uncompressed data set, and storing the second authentication code in the one or more memories.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the step of generating a second authentication code includes reducing the uncompressed data set to a message digest and then inputting the message digest and a private key into a digital signature algorithm generation operation.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the step of generating a second authentication code includes reducing the uncompressed data set to a message digest.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the step of storing the second authentication code includes appending the second authentication code to the compressed data set.

46. The method of claim 36, wherein the compressed data set includes a plurality of uncompressed data files.

47. A method of preparing memory contents of a gaming machine for subsequent authentication, comprising:

generating an authentication code from an uncompressed game data set;

compressing the uncompressed data set; and

storing the compressed data set and the authentication code in one or more memories.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the data set is selected from a group consisting of sound files and graphics files.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the step of generating an authentication code includes reducing the uncompressed data set to a message digest and then inputting the message digest and a private key into a digital signature algorithm generation operation.

50. The method of claim 47, wherein the step of generating an authentication code includes reducing the uncompressed data set to a message digest.

51. The method of claim 47, wherein the step of storing the compressed data set and the authentication code includes storing the compressed data set and the authentication code in the same memory.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the same memory is a high capacity storage memory.

53. The method of claim 47, further including generating a second authentication code from the compressed data set, and storing the second authentication code in the one or more memories.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the step of generating a second authentication code includes reducing the compressed data set to a message digest and then inputting the message digest and a private key into a digital signature algorithm generation operation.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein the step of generating a second authentication code includes reducing the compressed data set to a message digest.

56. The method of claim 47, wherein the step of storing the compressed data set and the authentication code in one or more memories includes appending the authentication code to the compressed data set.

57. The method of claim 47, wherein the compressed data set includes a plurality of uncompressed data files.

58. A method of authenticating memory contents of a gaming machine, comprising:

authenticating a compressed data set;

decompressing the compressed data set; and

authenticating the decompressed data set.

59. The method of claim 58, further including storing, in one or more memories, the compressed data set and a first authentication code generated from the compressed data set.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the step of authenticating the compressed data set includes generating a second authentication code from the compressed data set and determining the compressed data set is authentic if the second authentication code matches the first authentication code.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the first and second authentication codes are message digests.

62. The method of claim 60, wherein the first and second authentication codes are digital signatures.

63. The method of claim 58, wherein the step of decompressing the compressed data set is accomplished using a decompression utility stored in a read-only memory.

64. The method of claim 58, further including storing, in one or more memories, a first authentication code generated from the data set prior to being compressed.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the step of authenticating the decompressed data set includes generating a second authentication code from the decompressed data set and determining the decompressed data set is authentic if the second authentication code matches the first authentication code.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the first and second authentication codes are message digests.

67. The method of claim 65, wherein the first and second authentication codes are digital signatures.

68. The method of claim 58, further including loading the decompressed data set into a CPU component.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the step of authenticating the decompressed data set is performed both before and after the step of loading the decompressed data set into a CPU component.

70. The method of claim 58, wherein the compressed data set includes a plurality of uncompressed data files, and further including authenticating each of the uncompressed data files after the step of decompressing the compressed data set.

71. A method of authenticating memory contents of a gaming machine, comprising:

storing a compressed data set;

authenticating the compressed data set; and

decompressing the compressed data set.

72. A method of authenticating memory contents of a gaming machine, comprising:

storing a compressed data set;

decompressing the compressed data set; and

authenticating the decompressed data set.