Removable cryptographic ignition key system and method

• US 20040064720A1
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stingray IP Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, David Mark, Hessel, Clifford
• Granted Patent: US 7,761,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly

Abstract

A removable, wireless, cryptographic ignition key (CIK) provides a user the capability to conduct secure operations utilizing a processor as long as the CIK is within the vicinity of the processor. This removable CIK may be utilized in applications related to conducting secure operations on desktop computers, laptop computers, wireless telephones, handheld radios (e.g., military radios requiring secure communications), and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Secure operations are enabled upon insertion and removal of the CIK into/from the processor. If a predetermined proximity between the removable CIK and the processor is exceeded (e.g., the user leaves the room, the user puts the processor on a moving belt on an X-ray machine at the airport, the processor is stolen), secure operations are disabled. Secure operations may be resumed, upon the CIK being inserted and removed into/from the processor again.

Claims

1. A system for conducting secure operations utilizing a removable cryptographic ignition key (CIK), said system comprising:

said removable CIK;

a processor configured to receive said removable CIK;

a proximity detector configured to determine if a distance between said removable CIK and said processor is within a predetermined distance, wherein said system is configured to;

enable secure operations subsequent to said processor receiving said removable CIK;

conduct secure operations while said removable CIK is within said predetermined distance of said processor; and

disable secure operations when a distance between said removable CIK and said processor is greater than said predetermined distance.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said system is configured to enable secure operations upon said removable CIK being inserted into and subsequently removed from said processor.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of said processor and said removable CIK comprise at least a portion of said proximity detector.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said proximity detector utilizes at least one of electromagnetic energy, optical energy, and acoustic energy, to determine if a distance between said removable CIK and said processor has exceeded said predetermined distance.

5. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein an amplitude of a signal conveyed between said removable CIK and said processor is analyzed to determine if a distance between said CIK and said processor has exceeded said predetermined distance.

6. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a transmission power of a signal conveyed between said removable CIK and said processor for determining if a distance between said CIK and said processor has exceeded said predetermined distance is limited to establish said predetermined distance.

7. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

a signal conveyed between said removable CIK and said processor is indicative of a sequence of values; and

said sequence of values is analyzed for determining if a distance between said CIK and said processor has exceeded said predetermined distance.

8. A system in accordance with claim 1, said proximity detector further comprising:

an encryption/decryption portion configured to encrypt and decrypt a signal conveyed between said removable CIK and said processor for determining if a distance between said removable CIK and said processor has exceeded said predetermined distance.

9. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a timer configured to determine if a distance between said removable CIK and said processor has exceeded said predetermined distance for greater than a predetermined amount of time.

10. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein characteristics of a signal conveyed between said removable CIK and said processor for determining if a distance between said CIK and said processor has exceeded said predetermined distance are protected from unauthorized predictability.

11. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a manual disable portion configured to disable secure operations regardless if a distance between said removable CIK and said processor is within said predetermined distance.

12. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said manual disable portion disables secure operations by at least one of interrupting and disrupting a signal conveyed between said removable CIK and said processor for determining if a distance between said CIK and said processor has exceeded said predetermined distance.

13. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said manual disable portion disables secure operations by zeroizing at least one of said removable CIK and said processor.

14. A method for conducting secure operations utilizing a removable cryptographic ignition key (CIK), a processor, and a proximity detector, said method comprising:

receiving said removable CIK by said processor, wherein;

secure operations are enabled subsequent to receipt of said removable CIK by said processor;

determining if a distance between said removable CIK and said processor is within a predetermined distance;

enabling secure operations while said removable CIK is within said predetermined distance of said processor; and

disabling secure operations when a distance between said removable CIK and said processor is greater than said predetermined distance.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

upon receipt of a manual disable signal, disabling secure operations regardless if a distance between said removable CIK and said processor is within a predetermined distance.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein disabling secure operations comprises at least one of zeroizing said removable CIK and zeroizing said processor.

17. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein disabling secure operations upon receipt of a manual disable signal comprises at least one of interrupting and disrupting a signal conveyed between said removable CIK and said processor for determining if a distance between said CIK and said processor has exceeded said predetermined distance.

18. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein secure operations are enabled upon inserting said removable CIK into said processor and subsequently removing said CIK from said processor.

19. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

analyzing an amplitude of a signal conveyed between said removable CIK and said processor for determining if a distance between said CIK and said processor has exceeded said predetermined distance.

20. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

limiting a transmission power of a signal conveyed between said removable CIK and said processor for determining if a distance between said CIK and said processor has exceeded said predetermined distance to establish said predetermined distance.

21. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

in a signal indicative of a sequence of values conveyed between said removable CIK and said processor, analyzing said sequence of values for determining if a distance between said CIK and said processor has exceeded said predetermined distance.

22. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein a signal conveyed between said removable CIK and said processor is indicative of at least one of electromagnetic energy, optical energy, and acoustic energy.

23. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

determining if a distance between said removable CIK and said processor has exceeded said predetermined distance for greater than a predetermined amount of time; and

disabling secure operations if a distance between said removable CIK and said processor has exceeded said predetermined distance for greater than a predetermined amount of time.

24. A method in accordance claim 14, further comprising:

protecting characteristics of a signal conveyed between said removable CIK and said processor for determining if a distance between said CIK and said processor has exceeded said predetermined distance from unauthorized predictability.

25. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program code for directing a computer processor to conduct secure operations utilizing a removable cryptographic ignition key (CIK), a secure operations processor, and a proximity detector, said program code comprising:

a first code segment for causing said computer processor to receive said removable CIK by said secure operations processor, wherein;

secure operations are enabled subsequent to receipt of said removable CIK by said secure operations processor;

a second code segment for causing said computer processor to determine if a distance between said removable CIK and said secure operations processor is within a predetermined distance;

a third code segment for causing said computer processor to enable secure operations while said removable CIK is within said predetermined distance of said secure operations processor; and

a fourth code segment for causing said computer processor to disable secure operations when a distance between said removable CIK and said secure operations processor is greater than said predetermined distance.

26. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 25, said program code further comprising:

a fifth code segment for causing said computer processor to, upon receipt of a manual disable signal, disable secure operations regardless if a distance between said removable CIK and said secure operations processor is within a predetermined distance.

27. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 25, said program code further comprising at least one of:

a sixth code segment for causing said computer processor to analyze an amplitude of a signal conveyed between said removable CIK and said secure operations processor for determining if a distance between said CIK and said secure operations processor has exceeded said predetermined distance;

a seventh code segment for causing said computer processor to limit a transmission power of a signal conveyed between said removable CIK and said secure operations processor for determining if a distance between said CIK and said secure operations processor has exceeded said predetermined distance to establish said predetermined distance; and

an eighth code segment for causing said computer processor to analyze a sequence of values in a signal conveyed between said removable CIK and said secure operations processor for determining if a distance between said CIK and said secure operations processor has exceeded said predetermined distance.