Initializing, maintaining, updating and recovering secure operation within an integrated system employing a data access control function

• US 20040083375A1
• Filed: 10/23/2003
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daedalus Blue LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hall, William E., Rosu, Marcel C., Foster, Eric M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/189
• 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: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0894 Escrow, recovery or storing of secret information, e.g. secret key escrow or cryptographic key storage

Abstract

Techniques are provided for initializing, maintaining, updating and recovering secure operation within an integrated system. The techniques, which employ a data access control function within the integrated system, include authenticating by a current level of software a next level of software within an integrated system. The authenticating occurs before control is passed to the next level of software. Further, an ability of the next level of software to modify an operational characteristic of the integrated system can be selectively limited via the data access control function. Techniques are also provided for initializing secure operation of the integrated system, for migrating data encrypted using a first key set to data encrypted using a second key set, for updating software and keys within the integrated system, and for recovering integrated system functionality following a trigger event.

Claims

1. A method of initializing secure operation of an integrated system, said method comprising:

generating at least one key for the integrated system;

loading initial code into the integrated system, the loading including using the at least one key to encrypt the initial code via a data access control function of the integrated system; and

reinitializing the integrated system using the encrypted initial code.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating comprises generating within the integrated system the at least one key.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data access control function comprises a hardware component of the integrated system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising loading additional code into the integrated system using the encrypted initial code.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the loading of additional code includes utilizing the encrypted initial code to implement random key generation within the integrated system for use in encrypting the additional code by the data access control function.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the loading further includes encrypting the initial code using the at least one key and a memory address for whitening.

7. A method of recovering integrated system functionality following a trigger event, said method comprising:

automatically establishing a reduced level of functionality within the integrated system; and

allowing for full functional recovery of the integrated system by employing a selective recovery procedure.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the recovery procedure includes loading initialization code into the integrated system at a secure physical location.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the loading of initialization code further comprises loading unencrypted initialization code into the integrated system, including restoration initialization code, and wherein the method further comprises:

executing the restoration initialization code to obtain a master key and a substitute initialization address;

encrypting the restoration initialization code with the master key and storing the encrypted initialization code at the substitute initialization address; and

reinitializing the integrated system using the stored encrypted initialization code at the substitute initialization address.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing the master key and the substitute initialization address in persistent storage associated with a data access control function of the integrated system.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the initialization code further comprises a manufacturer'"'"'s public key, and wherein the method further comprises:

generating at the integrated system a public/private key pair;

securely storing the integrated system'"'"'s private key; and

encrypting the integrated system'"'"'s public key using the manufacturers public key.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising establishing a secure network connection between the integrated system and manufacturer, the establishing employing the generated public/private key pair, and downloading across the secure network connection required code and data to reestablish full functionality of the integrated system.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the automatically establishing the reduced level of functionality within the integrated system includes limiting access to secure code and data within the integrated system.

14. A system of initializing secure operation of an integrated system, said system comprising:

means for generating at least one key for the integrated system;

means for loading initial code into the integrated system, the loading including using the at least one key to encrypt the initial code via a data access control function of the integrated system; and

means for reinitializing the integrated system using the encrypted initial code.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the means for generating comprises means for generating within the integrated system the at least one key.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the data access control function comprises a hardware component of the integrated system.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for loading additional code into the integrated system using the encrypted initial code.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for loading of additional code includes means for utilizing the encrypted initial code to implement random key generation within the integrated system for use in encrypting the additional code by the data access control function.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the means for loading further includes means for encrypting the initial code using the at least one key and a memory address for whitening.

20. A system of recovering integrated system functionality following a trigger event, said system comprising:

means for automatically establishing a reduced level of functionality within the integrated system; and

means for allowing for full functional recovery of the integrated system by employing a selective recovery procedure.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the recovery procedure includes means for loading initialization code into the integrated system at a secure physical location.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for loading of initialization code further comprises means for loading unencrypted initialization code into the integrated system, including restoration initialization code, and wherein the system further comprises:

means for executing the restoration initialization code to obtain a master key and a substitute initialization address;

means for encrypting the restoration initialization code with the master key and storing the encrypted initialization code at the substitute initialization address; and

means for reinitializing the integrated system using the stored encrypted initialization code at the substitute initialization address.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising means for storing the master key and the substitute initialization address in persistent storage associated with a data access control function of the integrated system.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the initialization code further comprises a manufacturer'"'"'s public key, and wherein the system further comprises:

means for generating at the integrated system a public/private key pair;

means for securely storing the integrated system'"'"'s private key; and

means for encrypting the integrated system'"'"'s public key using the manufacturers public key.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising means for establishing a secure network connection between the integrated system and manufacturer, the establishing employing the generated public/private key pair, and downloading across the secure network connection required code and data to reestablish full functionality of the integrated system.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for automatically establishing the reduced level of functionality within the integrated system includes means for limiting access to secure code and data within the integrated system.

27. At least one program storage device readable by a machine embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of initializing secure operation of an integrated system, said method comprising:

generating at least one key for the integrated system;

loading initial code into the integrated system, the loading including using the at least one key to encrypt the initial code via a data access control function of the integrated system; and

reinitializing the integrated system using the encrypted initial code.

28. At least one program storage device readable by a machine embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of recovering integrated system functionality following a trigger event, said method comprising:

automatically establishing a reduced level of functionality within the integrated system; and

allowing for full functional recovery of the integrated system by employing a selective recovery procedure.